Harold Ford, Sr.

Harold Eugene Ford Sr. (born May 20, 1945) is an American politician and Democratic former member of the United States House of Representatives representing the area of Memphis, Tennessee, for 11 terms—from 1975 until his retirement in 1997. He was the first African-American to represent Tennessee in the U.S. Congress.

Early life, education and family Harold grew up on Horn Lake Road in the West Junction neighborhood of South Memphis. He is the eighth of 15 children born to Newton Jackson Ford (1914–1986) and Vera (Davis) Ford (1915–1994),

He was a delegate to Democratic State Convention and to the quadrennial Democratic National Conventions from 1972 through 1996. Ford was charged in 18 counts of conspiracy and fraud accusing him of receiving nearly $1.5 million in loans from 1976 to 1983, that prosecutors alleged were actually bribes. Ford contended that the loans were legitimate business transactions used to extend loans to him and his family funeral home business.

A first trial in Memphis in 1990 ended in a mistrial with the jury deadlocked 8-4 along straight racial lines. The eight black jury members voted to acquit, and the four whites voted to convict.