George Corley Wallace Jr. (August 25, 1919 – September 13, 1998) was an American politician who served as the 45th Governor of Alabama for four non-consecutive terms. A member of the Democratic Party, Wallace is best known for his staunch support of racial [[segregation]] during the Civil Rights Movement in the United States.
Born in Clio, Alabama, Wallace was the son of a farmer. He grew up in a modest family and developed a strong work ethic at an early age. He graduated from the University of Alabama School of Law in 1942, after which he served in the United States Army Air Corps during the [[World War II Timeline]].
## Political career
Wallace began his political career in 1946 as a member of the Alabama House of Representatives. He later served as an assistant attorney general and a judge. In 1958, he ran for governor but was defeated by John Patterson, who had the support of the [[Ku Klux Klan (KKK)]]. After this loss, Wallace infamously vowed never to be "out-n----red" again, marking the beginning of his segregationist political stance.
In 1962, Wallace was elected governor of Alabama, a position he held for four non-consecutive terms (1963-1967, 1971-1979, and 1983-1987). He is perhaps most famous for his "Stand in the Schoolhouse Door" incident in 1963 when he physically blocked the entrance to the University of Alabama to prevent the enrollment of two African American students, defying a federal court order. President [[John F. Kennedy (JFK)]] ultimately intervened, federalizing the Alabama National Guard to ensure the students' admission.
### Presidential campaigns
Wallace made four bids for the U.S. presidency. In 1964, he entered the Democratic primaries but was unsuccessful. In 1968, he ran as the American Independent Party candidate, winning five Southern states and 13.5% of the popular vote. He ran again in 1972 and 1976 but failed to secure the Democratic nomination.
### Assassination attempt and later years
In 1972, during his presidential campaign, Wallace was shot and seriously wounded by Arthur Bremer in an assassination attempt. The shooting left Wallace paralyzed from the waist down, forcing him to use a wheelchair for the rest of his life.
Over time, Wallace's views on race evolved. In his later years, he renounced his segregationist past and sought forgiveness from the African American community. During his final term as governor, he made significant efforts to appoint African Americans to state positions and improve race relations.
George Wallace died of septic shock on September 13, 1998, at the age of 79. Although he is remembered primarily for his segregationist politics, his later years saw a transformation in his views on race. Wallace remains a controversial figure in American political history, symbolizing the resistance to [[civil rights]] progress and the complexities of racial politics during the 1960s and 1970s.