Gerald Ford

Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr., born Leslie Lynch King Jr. on July 14, 1913, in Omaha, Nebraska, was the 38th president of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977. His early life was marked by family instability; his parents, Dorothy Ayer Gardner and Leslie Lynch King Sr., separated shortly after his birth, and his mother relocated with him to Illinois and later Michigan. His parents divorced in December 1913, and he was raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, by his mother and her subsequent husband, Gerald Rudolff Ford, a salesman in a paint and varnish company, after whom he was informally named and later officially named.

Ford was an only child of Dorothy Gardner and Leslie King Sr., though he grew up with three half-brothers from his mother’s second marriage: Thomas Gardner Ford, Richard Addison Ford, and James Francis Ford. His paternal grandfather was banker Charles Henry King and his maternal grandfather was Levi Addison Gardner, an Illinois politician and businessman. Ford's family paid child support until shortly before Charles Henry King’s death in 1930.

Ford was involved in the Boy Scouts of America, earning the rank of Eagle Scout in August 1927. He attended Grand Rapids South High School, where he was a prominent athlete and captain of the football team, recognized on the All-City team of the Grand Rapids City League.

He enrolled at the University of Michigan, playing center and linebacker for the Wolverines football team, contributing to undefeated seasons in 1932 and 1933, and helping secure national championships in those years. Despite a poor team record in 1934, Ford remained a key player and was named the team's most valuable player. He was involved in the controversy surrounding racial integration, notably protesting the exclusion of Willis Ward from a game against Georgia Tech due to Ward's race, and ultimately playing in that game at Ward’s request.

Ford graduated from Michigan in 1935 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics. After graduation, he declined offers to play professional football with the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers, choosing instead to work as a boxing coach and assistant football coach at Yale University and to apply for admission to Yale Law School. He was initially denied entry due to his coaching responsibilities but was eventually admitted in 1938. He also worked as a model during his time at Yale.

During his college years and afterward, Ford served in the U.S. Naval Reserve from 1942 to 1946. In addition to his athletic pursuits, Ford earned a degree in law from Yale, and his legal education was complemented by work as a seasonal park ranger at Yellowstone National Park in the summer of 1936.

Ford's political career began in 1949 when he was elected as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 5th congressional district. He served in this capacity for nearly 25 years, including a tenure as House minority leader for the last nine years of his service.

In December 1973, Ford became the first individual appointed to the vice presidency under the 25th Amendment, following the resignation of Vice President Spiro Agnew. After President Richard Nixon's resignation on August 9, 1974, Ford ascended to the presidency, becoming the only person to serve as U.S. president without having been elected to the presidency or vice presidency.

During his presidency, Ford faced significant economic challenges, including inflation and recession, and made a controversial decision to pardon Nixon for his role in the Watergate scandal. His administration also saw the signing of the Helsinki Accords and the end of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War following the collapse of South Vietnam.

In the 1976 Republican presidential primaries, Ford narrowly defeated Ronald Reagan for the nomination but lost the general election to Democratic nominee Jimmy Carter. After his presidency, Ford remained active in Republican politics, though his views increasingly clashed with conservative elements of the party. He maintained a friendly relationship with Carter, with whom he developed a close friendship after their political contests.

Ford experienced health issues later in life and died on December 26, 2006, in Rancho Mirage, California. Public assessments of his presidency have varied, with some surveys ranking him as below average among U.S. presidents.