John Bell Williams | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 55th Governor of Mississippi | |
| In office January 16, 1968 – January 18, 1972 | |
| Lieutenant | Charles L. Sullivan |
| Preceded by | Paul B. Johnson Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Bill Waller |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Mississippi | |
| In office January 3, 1947 – January 16, 1968 | |
| Preceded by | Dan R. McGehee |
| Succeeded by | Charles H. Griffin |
| Constituency | 7th district (1947–1953) 4th district (1953–1963) 3rd district (1963–1968) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 4, 1918 Raymond, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | March 25, 1983 (aged 64) Brandon, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Elizabeth Ann Wells |
| Alma mater | |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Military service | |
| Branch | United States Army |
| Rank | Pilot (injured in bomber crash) |
| Unit | United States Army Air Corps |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
John Bell Williams (December 4, 1918 – March 25, 1983) was an American Democratic politician who represented Mississippi in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1947 to 1968 and served as the 55th governor of Mississippi from 1968 to 1972.
He was first elected to Congress at the age of just 27 in 1946, representing southwestern Mississippi. He was re-elected repeatedly to Congress through the 1966 election in what was then a one-party Democratic state, but was stripped of his congressional leadership positions after he publicly supported Republican Barry Goldwater in the 1964 presidential election.
Williams was elected governor in 1967, defeating numerous candidates. He had a history of supporting racial segregation but complied with a federal court order to finally desegregate Mississippi's public schools.