Gerald R. Ford

Born in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1913 and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Gerald R. Ford Jr. built an early reputation as both a student and an athlete. He played football at the University of Michigan, later served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, and then trained as a lawyer before entering politics.

Ford represented Michigan in the U.S. House of Representatives for roughly a quarter century, where he became known as a practical Republican and a reliable party leader. In 1973 he was appointed vice president, and less than a year later he became president after Richard Nixon resigned, making him the only U.S. president never elected to either the presidency or the vice presidency.

His presidency, from 1974 to 1977, was shaped by a country still shaken by scandal, inflation, and the aftermath of the Vietnam War. He is often remembered for trying to restore public trust in government, including through his controversial pardon of Nixon, and for the straightforward, unflashy style that defined both his public life and his later reputation.