| Samuel Leon Jones is an American politician who has served as a Democratic member of the Alabama House of Representatives for District 99 since November 7, 2018. Born on April 14, 1947, in Mobile, Alabama, Jones made history as the first African-American mayor of Mobile, serving from September 2005 until August 2013. He currently represents District 99, which includes parts of Mobile County, and his current legislative term ends on November 4, 2026.
Jones graduated from Central High School in Mobile and subsequently attended Florida Junior College and Jacksonville University in Jacksonville, Florida. His military service began with nine years in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War, where he served aboard the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal. During his naval service, his commanding officer was John McCain, who later became a U.S. Senator from Arizona and presidential candidate. Jones served in various capacities including as a flight deck supervisor for A-7 aircraft and as an equal opportunity officer, race relations education specialist, and community service coordinator.
After completing his military service, Jones returned to Mobile and was hired as the Executive Director of Mobile Community Action, Inc., Mobile's anti-poverty agency and Head Start program, serving from 1980 until 1987. This federally funded organization administered various government programs aimed at assisting low-income families and communities. His involvement in community service and anti-poverty work provided him with extensive experience in public administration and social services.
Jones entered politics through the Democratic Party and was elected to the Mobile County Commission, where he served four terms representing District 1. During his tenure on the commission, he was elected President of the Alabama County Commission Association and served on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Counties. His work on the county commission included improving relationships between county and city governments, and overseeing the construction of significant infrastructure projects including a new metro jail and the Mobile Government Plaza.
In 2005, Jones successfully ran for Mayor of Mobile, becoming the first African-American to hold this office. As mayor, he focused on criminal justice reform, promoting alternative sentencing initiatives for non-violent offenders, establishing drug courts, and emphasizing greater parental responsibility for children's actions. Jones created and spearheaded Mobile's 311 system, which handled over 1 million citizen calls in 2012. He guided the city through the economic downturn while maintaining city services without employee furloughs or layoffs and preserved Mobile's A1 bond rating with Moody's and AA rating with Standard and Poor's. Jones was instrumental in recruiting major industries to Mobile, including aerospace giant Airbus to the Port City, along with companies such as Austal, Thyssen Krupp Steel, Mobile Aerospace, Labinal, and Berg Steel. He served two four-year terms as mayor, winning re-election in 2009 before being defeated by Sandy Stimpson in the 2013 mayoral election.
Following his mayoral service, the Mobile City Council unanimously voted on October 29, 2013, to pass a resolution renaming Mobile Government Plaza as the Samuel L. Jones Government Plaza in recognition of his service to the city. In 2009, Jones was named the 2008 Mobilian of the Year by the Cottage Hill Civitan Club, Mobile's most prestigious civic honor.
In 2018, Jones was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives for District 99, defeating Charles Talbert in the general election with 73.3% of the vote. He won re-election in 2022 with 95.9% of the vote against write-in candidates. In the Alabama House, Jones serves on multiple committees including the County and Municipal Government Committee, Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee (where he serves as Ranking Minority Member), Mobile County Legislation Committee, Urban and Rural Development Committee, and the Reapportionment Committee.
Jones has been active in various civic and professional organizations throughout his career. He serves as Director of Programs and Community Outreach for Ball Healthcare Services Incorporated. His extensive board service includes positions on the Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission, Alabama Port Authority Board, Alabama Sentencing Commission, Metropolitan Planning Organization (as Chair), Mobile Area Chambers of Commerce Board, National Association of Counties Board, South Alabama Regional Planning Commission (as Chair), University of South Alabama Board of Trustees, and Volunteers of America Board. He was the founder of both the Mobile County Community Development Partnership and Prichard Federal Credit Union, and served as the 1998 Campaign Chair for the United Way of Southwest Alabama.
Jones continues to balance his legislative duties with his commitment to community service and veterans' affairs, drawing on his extensive experience in military service, local government, and community development to serve the residents of District 99. |