Mike Espy
| Mike Espy | |
|---|---|
 |
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| 25th United States Secretary of Agriculture | |
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In office January 22, 1993 – December 31, 1994 |
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| President | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Edward Madigan |
| Succeeded by | Dan Glickman |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Mississippi's 2nd district |
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In office January 3, 1987 – January 22, 1993 |
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| Preceded by | Webb Franklin |
| Succeeded by | Bennie Thompson |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Alphonso Michael Espy November 30, 1953 Yazoo City, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Portia Ballard |
| Children | 3 |
| Education |
Howard University (BA) Santa Clara University (JD) |
Alphonso Michael "Mike" Espy (born November 30, 1953) is a United States Democratic politician. From 1987 to 1993, he served in the U.S. House of Representatives from Mississippi. From 1993 to 1994 he was selected to be the Secretary of Agriculture by president Bill Clinton. He was both the first African American and first person from the Deep South in that position. He was indicted in 1997 for receiving improper gifts, but acquitted of all 30 charges in 1998.
Espy was born in Yazoo City, Mississippi. He is the grandson of Thomas J. Huddleston, Sr., founder of the Afro-American Sons and Daughters, a fraternal society that operated the Afro-American Hospital, a leading provider of health care for blacks in the state from the 1920s to the 1970s. Espy attended Howard University in Washington, D.C., and was active in student politics, holding several elective positions. He earned his Juris Doctor from the Santa Clara University School of Law in California in 1978. He was an attorney with Central Mississippi Legal Services between 1978 and 1980 and was later the Assistant Secretary of State to Mississippi Legal Services. From 1980 to 1984 Espy was the Assistant Secretary of the State to the Public Lands Division.
Espy became Assistant State Attorney General from 1984 to 1985, when he was elected as a Democrat to the 100th Congress in 1986 from Mississippi's 2nd congressional district. He defeated two-term Republican Webb Franklin to become the first African-American to represent Mississippi at the federal level since Reconstruction. He was reelected three times. Just 20 days after taking office for his fourth term, Espy resigned after being appointed Secretary of Agriculture in the Cabinet of President Bill Clinton. He served as Secretary of Agriculture in 1993–94.
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