Don Fuqua

{{Infobox officeholder

|name= Don Fuqua

|image = Don Fuqua 1961.jpg

|state= Florida

|constituency= 9th district (1963–1967)
2nd district (1967–1987)

|party= Democratic

|term_start=January 3, 1963

|term_end=January 3, 1987

|preceded= District established

|succeeded=James W. Grant

|office3= Chair of the House Committee on Science and Technology

|term_start3= January 3, 1979

|term_end3= January 3, 1987

|preceded3= Olin E. Teague

|succeeded3= Robert A. Roe

|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1933|8|20}}

|birth_place=Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.

|education = University of Florida

|death_date=

|death_place=

}}

John Donald Fuqua (born August 20, 1933) is a former U.S. Democratic politician from Florida. He represented Florida in the United States House of Representatives from 1963 to 1987.

Early years and education

Fuqua was born in Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida in 1933. His parents were John D and Lucille Fuqua. He had two brothers.{{cite web|title=FUQUA, Don, (1933 - )|url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=F000430|publisher=United States Congress|access-date=29 August 2012}} He attended the University of Florida at Gainesville from 1951 to 1953. After being in the military in the Korean war, he returned to the university to graduate in 1957. Fuqua served in the Florida House of Representatives from 1958 to 1962.

Politics

He was elected as a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives from Florida and served from January 3, 1963, to January 3, 1987. Fuqua was chairman of the House Science and Technology Committee.{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1891&dat=19800625&id=kUJHAAAAIBAJ&sjid=jf0MAAAAIBAJ&pg=1944,4012692&hl=en|title=Gadsden Times - Google News Archive Search}}

Fuqua is the last living person who voted against the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964. He later said that he voted no because he was expecting to be challenged by a segregationist in the 1964 elections.{{Cite web |date=2013-08-27 |title=50 Years Later, Former Congressman Describes Context Of March on Washington |url=https://www.wuft.org/national-news/2013-08-26/50-years-later-former-congressman-describes-context-of-march-on-washington |access-date=2024-07-22 |website=WUFT {{!}} News and public media for north central Florida |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=H.R. 7152. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964. ADOPTION OF A … -- House Vote #182 -- Jul 2, 1964 |url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/88-1964/h182 |access-date=2024-07-22 |website=GovTrack.us |language=en}}

Personal life

Fuqua served in Korea with the United States Army Medical Corps during and after the Korean War. During most of his congressional career his legal residence was a farm near Altha in Calhoun County, Florida, where he became a dairy farmer. He lives in Gainesville, Florida.

After leaving Congress Fuqua became president of the Aerospace Industries Association.{{Cite web |date=1988-12-18 |title=INDUSTRY PLEA DON'T MAKE THINGS WORSE |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1988/12/18/industry-plea-dont-make-things-worse/d7b08ff6-8321-4abe-ab03-f7695a2b2a2f/ |access-date=2023-05-14 |website=Washington Post}}