With a background in both law and academia, AC Wharton made history in 2002 when he became the first Black mayor of Shelby County, Tenn. In 2009, he was elected the 63rd mayor of Memphis, an office he remained in until 2015. Today, Wharton puts his knowledge and skills to work at the Memphis-based AC Wharton Group. Although Wharton’s professional career hasn’t included agriculture, his upbringing did, and he still carries the lessons he learned from agricultural education.
New Horizons: How would you describe your relationship to agriculture as a young boy?
AC Wharton: You could say agriculture is in my blood; I’ve always loved it. I grew up in Lebanon, Tenn., and because of my father’s background in farming, he made sure we had at least a little bit of land for raising livestock like chickens, pigs and cattle.
NH: What’s one of your most important takeaways from your experiences in agricultural education?
ACW: I was part of the New Farmers of America in high school – that was in the 1950s – and at the beginning of every meeting, my chapter and I would stand together, recite the creed and ask why we were there; what was our purpose? To this day, I come back to that question in both my personal and professional life.
NH: Why did you decide to pursue a career in politics?
ACW: Alongside my wife, Ruby, I fundraised for and supported the local politicians I thought would best serve our community, and I never wanted to be a politician. That changed in 2001 when the Shelby County mayor announced he wasn’t going to seek reelection and many of my peers encouraged me to run for office. I decided to go for it, and the rest, as they say, is history.
NH: What are some of your proudest career accomplishments?
ACW: As mayor of Memphis, I established the Shelby Farms Park Conservancy, which is a nonprofit organization that manages and operates Shelby Farms Park and Shelby Farms Greenline with the Shelby County Government. That 4,500-acre area was going to be used for housing or commercial purposes, but instead, it’s now one of America’s largest urban parks.
NH: What’s a piece of advice you’d like to share with FFA members?
ACW: Every day, ask yourself – just as we did in New Farmers of America – why you’re here. Developing a strong sense of purpose will keep you grounded, and it adds a level of seriousness to life that many people never examine. For me, I know that my mis- sion is to serve and help others; as long as I’m fulfilling that, I’m happy.
