Preceded by Emmitt Ford Spouse(s) Marvis Kneeland-Jones Party Democratic Party Political party Democratic | Nationality American Role American Politician Succeeded by Barbara Cooper Name Rufus Jones | |
Born August 21, 1940 (age 83)
Memphis, Tennessee ( 1940-08-21 ) Alma mater Michigan State University Residence Memphis, Tennessee, United States | ||
Education Michigan State University | ||
Rufus E. Jones (born August 21, 1940) was an American politician and businessman.
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Early life
Jones grew up in the Boxtown neighborhood of South Memphis where his father operated Jones Supermarket. As a youngster, he went in the grocery business with his father. Jones and his father also operated another South Memphis grocery store, Jones Big Star. He graduated from Booker T. Washington High School and Michigan State University.
Political career
Jones succeeded his childhood friend Emmitt Ford in the Tennessee House of Representatives and served from 1981 to 1996. He was a Democrat. He was succeeded by Barbara Cooper. Jones was the Tennessean delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1996.
Personal
He is married to Marvis Kneeland-Jones, a retired schoolteacher. She was a member of the Memphis State Eight, the first group of African-American students to attend the University of Memphis, five years after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of desegregation in Brown v. Board of Education.