Orval E. Faubus
| Orval Faubus | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| 36th Governor of Arkansas | |
|
In office January 11, 1955 – January 10, 1967 |
|
| Lieutenant | Nathan Gordon |
| Preceded by | Francis Cherry |
| Succeeded by | Winthrop Rockefeller |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Orval Eugene Faubus January 7, 1910 Madison County, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Died | December 14, 1994 (aged 84) Conway, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Resting place | Combs Cemetery Combs, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) |
|
| Children | Farrell Faubus (son) |
| Profession | Politician |
| Religion | Southern Baptist |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States of America |
| Service/branch |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1942–1946 |
| Rank |
 Major
|
| Unit |
|
| Battles/wars | |
Orval Eugene Faubus (January 7, 1910 – December 14, 1994) was an American Democratic politician who served as 36th Governor of Arkansas from 1955 to 1967. He is best remembered for his 1957 stand against 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 made in the 1954 case Brown v. Board of Education by ordering the Arkansas National Guard to prevent black students from attending Little Rock Central High School.
Orval Eugene Faubus was born in the northwest corner of Arkansas near the village of Combs to John Samuel and Addie (née Joslen) Faubus.
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.
When the United States entered World War II, Faubus joined the United States Army and served as an intelligence officer with the Third Army of General George Patton. He rose to the rank of major and was in combat several times. His book, In This Faraway Land, documents the military period of his life. He was active in veterans' causes for the remainder of his life.
When Faubus returned from the war, he cultivated ties with leaders of Arkansas' Democratic Party, particularly with progressive reform Governor Sid McMath, leader of the post-war "GI Revolt" against corruption, under whom he served as director of the state's highway commission. Meanwhile, conservative Francis Cherry defeated McMath's bid for a third term in the 1952 Democratic primary. Cherry became unpopular with voters, and Faubus challenged him in the 1954 primary.
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