Dorothy Bowles Ford Biography: Who is Harold Ford Jr.’s Mother
Table of Contents
Profile Summary
- Name: Dorothy Bowles Ford
- Gender: Female
- Birthplace: United States.
- Nationality: American
- Year of birth: 1949
- Age: 74 years old (As of 2023)
- Ethnicity: African-American
Dorothy Bowles Ford gained prominence for being the wife of the first African-American congressman; she’s also the mother of Harold Ford Jr., an author, managing director, and former congressman in the US.
Early Life
Dorothy Bowles Ford is an African-American who was born in 1949. She’s the only child of Mr. and Mrs. Bowles. Dorothy grew up in Memphis and completed her high school education there.
She also pursued a degree at Memphis State University but had to drop out due to financial constraints in her family.
Despite being from a poor home, her parents were able to instill a strong sense of work ethic and ambition in her.
Growing up, Dorothy became a strong advocate for women’s rights and worked hard to promote gender equality in Tennessee.
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Harold Ford Sr and Wife
Dorothy Bowles Ford met her ex-husband, Harold Ford Senior, in Memphis between 1967 and 1968.
She was in college at that time, and they quickly began courting and fell in love with each other.
They got engaged and married on February 10, 1969.
Dorothy spent 30 years married to her husband Harold, and during this time he became involved in politics, and Dorothy backed him at all times.
She supported him during his campaign and helped him solicit support.
Her sheer will and endurance helped him attain victory, and in no time he served in the Tennessee state house of representatives and the Congress.
Coupled with being a supportive wife, Dorothy also worked at the Electric Potomac Co., Washington, DC, where she worked as a supervisor.
Harold Sr. represented the Memphis, Tennessee, area for 11 consecutive terms until his retirement in 1997.
He also became the first African-American to represent Tennessee in the US Congress.
Harold was a devout Baptist and a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity in college.
He was also an active member of the Ford Political Party in Memphis.
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Dorothy’s Divorce
Despite being in the spotlight and supporting her husband all through his career, Dorothy and Harold’s union still hit rock bottom.
After 30 decades of being together, the couple encountered some issues that affected their marriage in 1999.
They were able to go ahead with the divorce amicably, without acrimony.
Harold went ahead and remarried after his divorce.
He married Michelle Roberts, a former executive director of the National Basketball Players Association. The couple has two children together, Andrew and Ava.
Harold Ford Sr and Dorothy Bowles Ford Children
Dorothy has three children from her marriage with her ex-husband.
Her first child, Harold Jr., was born in 1970. He is a financial manager and author, also working for networks like Fox News.
He is also a distinguished practitioner at NYU’s Wagner School of Public Service.
Having been inspired by his father, Harold Jr. began to show an interest in politics.
He was also greatly supported by his mother, as she not only gave him advice but also accompanied him to campaign grounds. He later became a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives from 1997 to 2007.
Harold married his lovely girlfriend, Emily Threlkeld, in February 2008.
They welcomed their first child, Georgia, in December 2013, and their second child, Harold, in May 2015.
Dorothy’s second child, Jake Newton Ford, had a rough time growing up.
He was arrested several times on charges of DUI, assault, and marijuana possession.
Thankfully, he cleaned up his act and decided to lead a better life.
In 2006, he ran as a candidate for Tennessee’s 9th Congressional District but failed to win the seat.
Sir Isaac Ford is another son of Dorothy and is a business executive.
He also joined politics like his father and proceeded to run for Shelby County mayor. Unfortunately, he lost.
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What Is Dorothy Up To Now?
After the divorce, Dorothy chose to stay away from the limelight. She also supports her children’s careers and takes care of her grandchildren.
She is currently involved in community activities where she helps raise money for homeless women’s shelters.
