Early Life and Education of George Wallace: A Complete Timeline

Discover the defining moments in the early life of George Wallace. From birth to education, explore key events.

George Wallace was a prominent American politician, best known as the four-term governor of Alabama. Initially a staunch segregationist, he gained national notoriety for his defiant stance against the Civil Rights Movement, symbolized by his 1963 inaugural address vowing "segregation forever." He unsuccessfully ran for US President multiple times, including a significant third-party bid in 1968. Later in his career, Wallace publicly renounced his segregationist views. Despite his controversial legacy regarding race, Wallace also focused on economic development initiatives during his time as governor.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

August 25, 1919: Birth of George Wallace

On August 25, 1919, George Corley Wallace Jr. was born. He would later become the 45th and longest-serving governor of Alabama and a prominent figure known for his segregationist views.

Others born on this day/year

1935: Page in the Alabama Senate

In 1935, George Wallace won a contest to serve as a page in the Alabama Senate, where he predicted he would one day be governor.

1937: Enrollment in Law School

In 1937, George Wallace enrolled in law school at the University of Alabama School of Law in Tuscaloosa.

1937: Death of Wallace's Father

In 1937, George Wallace's father died, leading his mother to sell their farmland to pay existing mortgages.

1938: Campaign Contribution

In 1938, at age 19, George Wallace contributed to his grandfather's successful campaign for probate judge.

1939: Cornelia Ellis Snively Born

In 1939, Cornelia Ellis Snively was born.

Others born on this day/year

1942: Received Law Degree

In 1942, George Wallace received a Bachelor of Laws degree.

May 22, 1943: Wallace marries Lurleen Brigham Burns

On May 22, 1943, George Wallace married Lurleen Brigham Burns.

1943: Accepted for Pilot Training

Early in 1943, George Wallace was accepted for pilot training by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). He then contracted spinal meningitis, causing hearing loss and nerve damage, leading him to train as a flight engineer instead.

1944: Birth of Bobbi Jo Parsons

In 1944, Bobbi Jo Parsons, the daughter of George and Lurleen Wallace, was born.

1945: Served in Air Raids on Japan

During 1945, George Wallace participated in air raids on Japan as a member of a B-29 crew with the 468th Bombardment Group, stationed in the Mariana Islands. He then received an early discharge on medical grounds, due to "severe anxiety".

1947: Establishment of the United States Air Force

Curtis LeMay was instrumental in the establishment in 1947 of the United States Air Force and an expert in military affairs.

1950: Birth of Peggy Sue Kennedy

In 1950, Peggy Sue Kennedy, the daughter of George and Lurleen Wallace, was born.

1951: Birth of George Wallace III

In 1951, George Wallace III, the son of George and Lurleen Wallace, was born.

1961: Birth of Janie Lee Wallace

In 1961, Janie Lee Wallace, the daughter of George and Lurleen Wallace, was born.

1961: Lurleen Wallace Cancer Diagnosis

In 1961, Lurleen Wallace was diagnosed with cancer, but George Wallace did not inform her of the diagnosis.

1962: Staff knew about Lurleen's cancer since 1962

Staff members knew about Lurleen Wallace's cancer since George Wallace's 1962 campaign three years earlier.

1963: University of South Alabama Chartered

In 1963, during George Wallace's first year as governor, the University of South Alabama was chartered in Mobile.

1963: Announcement of Presidential Candidacy

In November 1963, George Wallace announced his intention to oppose John F. Kennedy for the 1964 Democratic presidential nomination in Dallas.

1964: Kennedy Assassination and Johnson Succession

Following Wallace's announcement, in 1964, John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, and Lyndon B. Johnson became president.

1964: Fiery Speech in Cincinnati

In 1964, George Wallace delivered a particularly fiery speech in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he angrily denounced protesters as "little Pinkos," inciting the audience.

1964: Republican Victory in Alabama

In 1964, Republican electors prevailed in Alabama for the first time since Reconstruction, with the Goldwater-Miller slate receiving 69.5 percent of the vote.

1964: Dissatisfaction with the Civil Rights Act

In 1964, Wallace mostly attracted the Southern Democrats who were dissatisfied with the 1964 Civil Rights Act signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson.

1964: Honorary Doctorate from Bob Jones University

In the spring of 1964, George Wallace received an honorary doctorate from Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina.

1965: Lurleen Wallace diagnosed with uterine cancer

In 1965, Lurleen Wallace was diagnosed with uterine cancer after experiencing abnormal bleeding.

1965: Dissatisfaction with the Voting Rights Act

In 1965, Wallace mostly attracted the Southern Democrats who were dissatisfied with the 1965 Voting Rights Act signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson.

April 1968: Wallace lies about Lurleen's cancer condition

In April 1968, George Wallace claimed that his wife Lurleen had "won the fight" against cancer, despite her deteriorating condition.

May 1968: Death of Lurleen Wallace

In May 1968, Lurleen Wallace, George Wallace's wife who had succeeded him as governor, died of cancer. Her doctor had informed George Wallace of the cancer's diagnosis in 1961, but he had not told her. Her death marked the end of Wallace's period of influence as de facto governor.

January 4, 1971: Wallace marries Cornelia Ellis Snively

On January 4, 1971, George Wallace married Cornelia Ellis Snively, a niece of former Alabama governor Jim Folsom.

May 15, 1972: Wallace shot at Laurel Shopping Center

On May 15, 1972, George Wallace was shot four times by Arthur Bremer at the Laurel Shopping Center in Laurel, Maryland. The shooting left Wallace paralyzed from the waist down, effectively ending his presidential bid. Three others were also wounded.

1978: Wallace and Snively divorce

In 1978, George Wallace and Cornelia Ellis Snively had a bitter divorce.

September 9, 1981: Wallace marries Lisa Taylor

On September 9, 1981, George Wallace married Lisa Taylor, a country music singer.

April 2, 1986: Wallace announces retirement

On April 2, 1986, George Wallace announced that he would not run for a fifth term as Governor of Alabama and would retire from public life.

January 1987: Wallace leaves governor's mansion

In January 1987, George Wallace left the governor's mansion, marking his retirement from public life.

February 2, 1987: Wallace and Taylor divorce

On February 2, 1987, George Wallace and Lisa Taylor divorced, weeks after Wallace left office for the fourth and final time.

1992: Wallace votes for George H. W. Bush

In 1992, George Wallace revealed that he had voted for George H. W. Bush, another Republican.

1992: Wallace comments on assassination attempt

In 1992, when asked to comment on the 20th anniversary of his attempted assassination, George Wallace replied, "I've had 20 years of pain."

1993: William Louis Dickinson Holds Seat Until 1993

In 1964, Republican tide also brought to victory five Republican members of the United States House of Representatives, including William Louis Dickinson, who held the Montgomery-based district seat until 1993.