Robert E. Jones Jr.

Robert "Bob" Emmett Jones Jr. (June 12, 1912 – June 4, 1997) was a member of the United States House of Representatives from the 8th district of Alabama. He was the last to represent that district before it was renumbered as a result of the 1970 United States census. Presently there are seven U.S. House districts in Alabama.

In 1962 and 1964, Alabama, having failed to redistrict after the 1960 Census removed one of its districts, held run-off primaries for its representatives at large, and in 1962 elected them at large as well. First primaries were held in the nine old districts with the winners of those contests competing against each other in the run-off. In 1964 with the Republican presidential nominee Barry Goldwater seeking Southern white votes, the state quickly redistricted and the general election was held by district. Jones was not expected to succeed in either of the at large primaries but came in seventh out of eight each time.^[1]

Robert Emmett Jones Jr. was born on June 12, 1912, in Scottsboro, Alabama, in Jackson County. He attended public schools and the University of Alabama. He graduated from the University of Alabama law department on January 7, 1937, and was admitted to the bar the same year. His early years saw much legal work in Scottsboro. Jones was elected judge of Jackson County Court in July 1940 then reelected in absentia in May 1945 where he served until October 1946. Jones served in the United States Navy as a gunnery officer in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters from December 1943 until February 1946.^[2]

A New Deal Democrat,^[3] Jones first entered the United States Congress by special election in 1947 when he was elected as a Democrat to the seat vacated by John Sparkman who had been elected to the U.S. Senate. In 1949, he actively supported the Housing Act of 1949, and played a key role in Section V of the bill which provided money for rural farm housing. He also supported the renewal of the act in 1961.^[4] He advocated legislation that led to the Federal Highway Act of 1956, which helped create the modern interstate system. Having been a signatory to the 1956 Southern Manifesto ^[5] that opposed the desegregation of public schools ordered by the Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education . Jones voted against the Civil Rights Acts of 1957,^[6] the Civil Rights Acts of 1960,^[7] the Civil Rights Acts of 1964,^[8] and the Civil Rights Acts of 1968 ^[9] as well as the 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution ^[10] and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.^[11]

Jones was an advocate for the economic development of north Alabama, and supported military, NASA, and Tennessee Valley Authority projects in his district. Jones served as Chairman of the House Public Works and Transportation Committee in his last term.^[2] Jones served 14 consecutive terms until his retirement on January 3, 1977.^[12] Jones was not a candidate for reelection in 1976. His papers are housed at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.^[13]

Among his legislative achievements was his principal sponsorship of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972. He was also instrumental in passage of the 1965 Appalachian Regional Development Act.^[12]

Bob Jones High School in Madison, Alabama, is named in his honor, as is the Bob Jones Bridge over the Tennessee River in his native Scottsboro.

Jones died June 4, 1997, in Florence, Alabama.^{[2] [14]}

• United States Congress. "Robert E. Jones Jr. (id: J000248)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress .
• Robert E. "Bob" Jones Collection, The University of Alabama in Huntsville Archives and Special Collections

• 1912 births
• 1997 deaths
• People from Scottsboro, Alabama
• United States Navy personnel of World War II
• Democratic Party United States representatives from Alabama
• United States Navy officers
• 20th-century Alabama state court judges
• Signatories of the Southern Manifesto
• 20th-century United States representatives

• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata