George Wallace's Life At A Glance

Key dates in the life of former Alabama Gov. George C. Wallace:

Aug. 26, 1919, born in Clio in southeastern Alabama's Barbour County.

1942, received law degree from University of Alabama, joined the Army Air Corps; married Lurleen Burns, a 16-year-old dime store worker.

1945, discharged from Air Corps; hired as assistant state attorney general.

1946, elected to Alabama House of Representatives.

1953, elected circuit judge for Barbour County, where he earned the nickname "the fightin' little judge."

1958, made first, unsuccessful race for governor.

1962, elected governor.

1963, proclaimed "segregation forever" at his January inaugural and made his "stand in the schoolhouse door" in an attempt to block the enrollment of two blacks at the University of Alabama.

1964, mounted first campaign for president, challenging President Johnson in Democratic primaries in five states.

1966, unable by law to succeed himself as governor, Wallace ran his wife, Lurleen, who become the state's first woman governor.

1968, Mrs. Wallace died of cancer; Lt. Gov. Albert Brewer assumed her office. Wallace mounted third-party campaign for president, won five states.

1970, elected to second term as governor after beating Brewer in primary runoff.

1971, married Cornelia Snively, a niece of former Gov. James E. "Big Jim" Folsom.

1972, began third campaign for president; ran first in the Florida primary. On May 15, on eve of victories in Michigan and Maryland, was gunned down. In wheelchair, addressed the Democratic National Convention.

1974, re-elected overwhelmingly to a third term as governor.

1976, made fourth and last run for White House, dropping out after losing to fellow Southerner Jimmy Carter in early primaries.

1978, divorced Cornelia Wallace.

1979, retired from political spotlight, but kept an office in Montgomery.

1981, married his third wife, sometime singer Lisa Taylor.

1982, emerged from seclusion to win a fourth term as governor, saying he was wrong about segregation and winning crucial black votes.

1986, made tearful announcement he would not seek re-election, citing poor health. Separated and eventually divorced from his third wife. In same year, his only son, George Jr., elected state treasurer.

1994, George Jr., nearing end of second term as state treasurer, loses Democratic primary bid for lieutenant governorship.

Sept. 13, 1998, dies at Montgomery, Ala., hospital.