James R. Ford (December 1, 1925 – October 11, 2017) was an American educator, politician, businessman and community activist. In 1972, Ford became the first African-American mayor of Tallahassee, Florida, and the first black mayor of a U.S. state capital city.

Early life and career

Ford attended Florida A&M University, where he earned his B.S. in 1950 and his M.Ed. in 1959. He served in both the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Army. He worked in the Leon County public school system from 1950 to 1987 as a teacher and its first black administrator, presiding over the county's first integrated school staff.

Mayor of Tallahassee

In 1972, Ford became Tallahassee's first African-American mayor and the first African-American mayor of a state capital city. He was elected to subsequent terms as mayor in 1976 and 1982. In addition, he served fourteen consecutive years as a Tallahassee city commissioner. In this office, he played a key role in establishing the Minority Business Department, the Frenchtown Area Development Authority and the Affirmative Action Office, and worked to eliminate segregated practices in the city government and to secure employment for blacks.

Personal life

Ford was also active in the business community. He built WAMN Radio Station, becoming Tallahassee's first black manager of a radio station. He owned and managed six businesses and acted as the president of CNJ Associates. He served as the president of Sigma Phi Pi and Alpha Phi Alpha fraternities, the Tallahassee Urban League and the Tallahassee Chapter of 100 Black Men, and as commander of the Tallahassee Sail and Power Squadron. He sat on the boards of the Chamber of Commerce, the United Way, Meals on Wheels, the March of Dimes Big Bend Chapter, the American Red Cross's Tallahassee Chapter and the Florida League of Cities. He also sat on the boards of the Tallahassee Memorial Regional Medical Center, the Lively Vocational School and Peoples 1st Community Bank.

He and his wife, Clinita, had a son (James R. Ford jr.) and two daughters (Janita and JaKathryn). Ford died on October 11, 2017 at the age of 91.