George Wallace

**George Corley Wallace** (August 25, 1919 – September 13, 1998) was an American politician. He served as Governor of Alabama from 1963 to 1967. He ran for President of the United States four times from 1964 to 1976.

Wallace was born in Clio, Alabama. He began his long political career at the age of 33 after running for county judge.

When Wallace was running for president, he was shot, which made him paralyzed for the rest of his life. He is known for having different views on segregation, because he supported segregation. He was a Democrat.

Wallace died at the age of 79 from sepsis caused by a spinal infection after 26 years of being in a wheelchair.

## Early life

Wallace was born **George Corley Wallace** on August 25, 1919 in Clio, Alabama. He studied at University of Alabama. He grew up in a lower-middle-class family. As a young man, he was an amateur boxer, where he fought as a bantamweight.

Wallace was a very short man for his entire life, and as an adult was about 5'2" (1.57m)

## Career

He served four terms as governor of Alabama, and also ran for President of the United States several times, during the 1960s and 1970s. Wallace was a longtime supporter of segregation; a policy that did not allow African-Americans to go to the same schools or many of the same public places as white people. In 1963 he stood in a schoolhouse door to stop black students from going to the school (which would have integrated the school). In a speech, he said he would support "segregation today, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever". He was a controversial figure. Some people saw him as a man who spoke up for the poor and was an outspoken populist. Others saw him as a terrible person, a white supremacist who supported violence.

In time, he changed his views, and said that he was sorry to African-Americans and other people hurt by segregation. He promoted black equality in his last term as Governor. Despite this, he is still an icon of racism today and many people think of him as one of the most evil people in American history.

### Assassination attempt

During the 1972 presidential campaign, Wallace was shot five times by someone who wanted to assassinate him, Arthur Bremer. He got a permanent injury to his spine. He could no longer walk, and spent the rest of his life using a wheelchair.

## Later career

After his last term as governor, he began speaking in public places (including churches).

## Personal life

Wallace was married to Laurleen Wallace until her death. He then married to Corelia Wallace until they divorced. Then he was married to Lisa Taylor until they divorced. He had four children.

## Popular Culture

The Lynyrd Skynyrd song "Sweet Home Alabama" has the line "In Birmingham they love the Governor / Boo Boo Boo / Now we all did what we could do / Watergate does not bother me / does your conscience bother you now tell me true." Even though Wallace is not mentioned by name, the line clearly refers to him. There continues to be debate over whether the song (and the band) is supportive or critical of Wallace.

Gary Sinise played him in the film _George Wallace_.

A tunnel on Interstate 10 in Alabama has been named the George Wallace Memorial Tunnel.

## Death

Wallace died on September 13, 1998 in Montgomery, Alabama from sepsis complicated by a spinal infection, aged 79. He was buried at Greenwood Cemetery in Montgomery.

## Other websites

- Governor Wallace's Schoolhouse Door speech  archived at the University of Alabama
- George Wallace article  at the Encyclopedia of Alabama
- George Wallace  - Daily Telegraph obituary
- Oral History Interview with George Wallace from Oral Histories of the American South
- Caught on Tape: The White House Reaction to the Shooting of Alabama Governor and Democratic Presidential Candidate George Wallace from History's News Network: http://hnn.us/articles/45104.html
- George Wallace: Settin' the Woods on Fire PBS _American Experience_ documentary, including complete transcript, teacher tools and links
- Cornelia Wallace's Obituary on Decatur Daily
- Political Graveyard
- _Booknotes_ interview with Stephen Lesher on _George Wallace: American Populist_, February 27, 1994.

## Infobox (officeholder)

- **name**: George Wallace
- **image**: George C Wallace.jpg
- **order**: 45th Governor of Alabama
- **lieutenant**: Bill Baxley
- **term start**: January 17, 1983
- **term end**: January 19, 1987
- **predecessor**: Fob James
- **successor**: H. Guy Hunt
- **lieutenant1**: Jere Beasley
- **term start1**: January 18, 1971
- **term end1**: January 15, 1979*
- **predecessor1**: Albert Brewer
- **successor1**: Fob James
- **lieutenant2**: James Allen (U.S. Senator), James Allen
- **term start2**: January 14, 1963
- **term end2**: January 16, 1967
- **predecessor2**: John Malcolm Patterson, John Patterson
- **successor2**: Lurleen Wallace
- **office3**: First Gentleman of Alabama
- **governor3**: Lurleen Wallace
- **term label3**: In role
- **term start3**: January 16, 1967
- **term end3**: May 7, 1968
- **predecessor3**: Lurleen Wallace (First Lady)
- **successor3**: Martha Farmer Brewer (First Lady)
- **birth name**: George Corley Wallace Jr.
- **birth place**: Clio, Alabama, U.S.
- **death place**: Montgomery, Alabama, U.S.
- **restingplace**: Greenwood Cemetery (Montgomery, Alabama), Greenwood Cemetery
- **party**: Democratic Party (United States), Democratic
- **otherparty**: American Independent Party, American Independent (1968)
- **spouse**:

- **children**: 4, including George Wallace Jr., George
- **education**: University of Alabama (Bachelor of Laws, LLB)
- **signature**: George Wallace Signature.svg
- **serviceyears**: 1942–1945
- **rank**: Staff sergeant#United States of America, Staff Sergeant
- **unit**: United States Army Air Forces
- **battles**: World War II
- **footnotes**: *Jere Beasley served as Acting Governor from June 5, 1972 – July 7, 1972 while Wallace recovered from the assassination attempt.
- **caption**: Wallace in 1968