Bill Waller | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 56th Governor of Mississippi | |
| In office January 18, 1972 – January 20, 1976 | |
| Lieutenant | William F. Winter |
| Preceded by | John Bell Williams |
| Succeeded by | Cliff Finch |
| Personal details | |
| Born | William Lowe Waller October 21, 1926 Lafayette County, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | November 30, 2011 (aged 85) Jackson, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Resting place | Jessamine Cemetery Ridgeland, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 5, including Bill |
| Education | Memphis State University (BS) University of Mississippi School of Law (LLB) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1951–1953 |
| Rank | Sergeant |
| Battles/wars | Korean War |
William Lowe Waller Sr. (October 21, 1926 – November 30, 2011) was an American politician and attorney. A Democrat, Waller served as the 56th governor of Mississippi from 1972 to 1976. Born near Oxford, Mississippi to a farming family, Waller went to law school and in 1950 established a law practice in Jackson. Nine years later, he was elected District Attorney of Hinds County, Mississippi. Waller attempted to reform the position and provoked the ire of local law enforcement for aggressively prosecuting several cases. In 1964, he twice prosecuted Byron De La Beckwith for the murder of civil rights activist Medgar Evers, with both trials resulting in deadlocked juries. In 1967, he launched an unsuccessful campaign for governor, finishing fifth in the Democratic primary.
Waller ran for governor again in 1971, denouncing state establishment leaders and winning in the primary and in the general election. Taking office in January 1972, he associated himself with the New South governors, his moderate contemporaries in other Southern states. Though unsuccessful in reconciling racial differences within the Mississippi Democratic Party, he brought blacks into state government and successfully shut down the State Sovereignty Commission. His tenure was also marked by his significant disagreement with the Mississippi State Legislature. After leaving gubernatorial office in 1976, Waller returned to practicing law in Jackson. He ran for a U.S. Senate seat in 1978 and for governor again in 1987, losing both races. He released his memoirs in 2007 and died four years later.