# Kenneth Paschal > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Kenneth_Paschal > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Kenneth_Paschal.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_Paschal > Source revision: 1350021742 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{short description|American politician}} {{use mdy dates|date=July 2021}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Kenneth Paschal | image = | state_house = Alabama | district = 73rd | term_start = July 14, 2021 | term_end = | predecessor = [Matt Fridy](/source/Matt_Fridy) | successor = | birth_name = Kenneth Lavoyd Paschal{{cite web|url=https://www.kennethpaschal.com/|title=Kenneth Paschal|website=KennethPaschal.com|access-date=August 28, 2022}} | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1966|12|9}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | party = [Republican](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States)) | spouse = | children = | education = | occupation = | profession = | website = | footnotes = | allegiance = {{flag|United States}} | branch = {{flag|United States Army}} | service_years = 1985–2006 | rank = [First Sergeant](/source/First_Sergeant) | unit = | battles = }} '''Kenneth Paschal''' (born December 9, 1966) is an American politician from the state of [Alabama](/source/Alabama). A member of the [Republican Party](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States)), Paschal was elected to represent District 73 in the [Alabama House of Representatives](/source/Alabama_House_of_Representatives) in a July 2021 special election.{{Cite web|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Kenneth_Paschal|title=Kenneth Paschal|website=Ballotpedia|accessdate=July 13, 2021}} He is the first black Republican elected to the Alabama Legislature in almost 140 years,{{cite news|url=https://www.al.com/news/birmingham/2021/07/kenneth-paschal-wins-alabama-house-seat-becomes-legislatures-only-black-republican.html|title=Kenneth Paschal wins Alabama House seat; becomes Legislature's only Black Republican|publisher=Alabama Live|last=Koplowitz|first=Howard|date=July 13, 2021|accessdate=July 13, 2021}} and the first to serve in the state legislature since W. P. Williams of [Madison County](/source/Madison_County%2C_Alabama) served a two-year term from 1882 to 1884.Bailey, Richard, "Neither Carpetbaggers not Scalawags", published 1991. ==Career== Paschal served 21 years in the [United States Army](/source/United_States_Army), retiring in 2006 as a [first sergeant](/source/first_sergeant).{{cite web | title=Republican Kenneth Paschal wins Alabama House District 73 in historic campaign | url=https://www.wvtm13.com/article/republican-kenneth-paschal-wins-alabama-house-district-73-in-historic-campaign/37017120# | date=July 14, 2021 | work=[WVTM-TV](/source/WVTM-TV) | access-date=July 14, 2021}}{{cite web | last1=Moseley | first1=Brandon | title=Kenneth Paschal wins House District 73 special election | url=https://www.alreporter.com/2021/07/14/kenneth-paschal-wins-house-district-73-special-election/ | date=July 14, 2021 | work=Alabama Political Reporter | access-date=July 14, 2021}}{{cite web | last1=Chandler | first1=Kim | title=Alabama elects first Black Republican to House in 140 years | url=https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-alabama-election-2020-house-elections-df2ff75265ffc67482290149f2f1a272 | date=July 14, 2021 | work=[Associated Press](/source/Associated_Press) | access-date=July 14, 2021}} Paschal worked with the Alabama Family Rights Association. He also served on the Shelby County Republican Executive Committee and was a commander of the [American Legion](/source/American_Legion). Paschal ran for state representative following [Matt Fridy](/source/Matt_Fridy)'s resignation in order to join the [Alabama Court of Civil Appeals](/source/Alabama_Court_of_Civil_Appeals). Among his other positions, Paschal campaigned against [critical race theory](/source/critical_race_theory). He won the special election on July 13, 2021, becoming the first black Republican elected to the [Alabama Legislature](/source/Alabama_Legislature) since the [Reconstruction era](/source/Reconstruction_era). Paschal was sworn in the following day.{{cite web | last1=Reeves | first1=Jay | last2=Chandler | first2=Kim | title=1st elected Alabama Black Republican: GOP 'open to everyone' | url=https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-alabama-election-2020-house-elections-135cd839be515635f31a2aab38371a30 | date=July 14, 2021 | work=[Associated Press](/source/Associated_Press) | access-date=July 14, 2021}} ==Personal life== Paschal lives in [Pelham, Alabama](/source/Pelham%2C_Alabama). He is a member of the First Baptist Church of Pelham. ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== *[https://www.kennethpaschal.com/ Campaign website] {{Alabama House of Representatives}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Paschal, Kenneth}} Category:1966 births Category:Living people Category:Republican Party members of the Alabama House of Representatives Category:African-American state legislators in Alabama Category:United States Army non-commissioned officers Category:African-American United States Army personnel Category:African-American Christians Category:Black conservatism in the United States Category:21st-century African-American politicians Category:21st-century members of the Alabama Legislature {{Alabama-politician-stub}} --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Kenneth Paschal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_Paschal) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_Paschal?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.