Orval Faubus

Orval Eugene Faubus (January 7, 1910 – December 14, 1994) was an American politician who served as 36th Governor of Arkansas from 1955 to 1967. A Democrat, he is best known for his 1957 stand against the desegregation of the Little Rock School District during the Little Rock Crisis, in which he defied a unanimous decision of the U.S. Supreme Court by ordering the Arkansas National Guard to stop black students from attending Little Rock Central High School.

Early life

Faubus was born to Sam Faubus (1887–1966) and the former Addie Joslen in the Combs community near Huntsville, the county seat of Madison County in northwestern Arkansas. He was born prematurely and weighed only 4 lb (1.8 kg) at birth. According to his father, "Little Orval was different from most boys. Kids liked to get into mischief, but all he ever did was read books. He never done anything if he couldn't do it perfectly. You'd never find a weed in his row of corn."

Political work

Faubus' first political race was in 1936 when he contested a seat in the Arkansas House of Representatives, a race in which he finished second. He was urged to challenge the result but declined, which earned him the gratitude of the Democratic Party. As a result, he was elected circuit clerk and recorder of Madison County, a post he held for two terms.