Alabama's Infamous Governor Hid Wife's Cancer Diagnosis

George Wallace kept Lurleen Wallace's terminal illness a secret as she ran for governor in his place.

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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The story of George and Lurleen Wallace is one of the most peculiar in U.S. political history. When Alabama Gov. George Wallace was nearing the end of his term limit in the 1960s, he convinced his wife, Lurleen, to run as his successor so he could continue governing. During Lurleen's campaign, she discovered that she had untreated cancer, which her husband had known about for years but kept hidden from her.

Why it matters

This case highlights the lengths to which some politicians will go to cling to power, even at the expense of their own family's wellbeing. George Wallace's deceit towards his wife Lurleen, who was dying of cancer, raises ethical questions about the morality of political ambition and the consequences it can have on individuals and their loved ones.

The details

Shortly before the 1966 election, Lurleen Wallace learned that she had uterine cancer. However, her husband George had known of her diagnosis since at least 1961, when she gave birth to their fourth child. George insisted that his wife not be informed and did not seek treatment for her. By the time Lurleen knew what she was facing, it was too late. She took office in January 1967 as her husband's proxy, with George holding no official state position but working right across the hall from the official governor's office.

  • In 1961, George Wallace learned of Lurleen's cancer diagnosis after she gave birth to their fourth child.
  • In 1966, Lurleen Wallace launched her gubernatorial campaign as "Mrs. George C. Wallace" and won the Democratic nomination.
  • Lurleen Wallace took office as governor in January 1967, while secretly battling cancer.
  • Lurleen Wallace died on May 7, 1968, while her husband George was running for president.

The players

George Wallace

The infamous segregationist Democrat who served four total terms as governor of Alabama, including a term where his wife Lurleen served as a figurehead while he continued to govern behind the scenes.

Lurleen Wallace

The wife of George Wallace who ran for and won the governorship of Alabama in 1966, unaware that her husband had known about her terminal cancer diagnosis for years.

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What they’re saying

“In the name of the greatest people that have ever trod this Earth, I draw the line in the dust and toss the gauntlet before the feet of tyranny, and I say segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever.”

— George Wallace, Governor of Alabama (Inaugural Address, 1963)

“Lurleen Wallace was content to be a behind-the-scenes mother. George Wallace's passion was politics. Lurleen Wallace's passion was being a mother and going fishing.”

— Steve Flowers, Alabama Legislator (Tuscaloosa News, 2023)

“In her first six months as Governor, Mrs. Wallace has arrived regularly each day at the Governor's office, but her duties have been largely ceremonial.”

— New York Times (1967 Article)

What’s next

George Wallace continued his political career after Lurleen's death, serving as governor again from 1971 to 1979 with his second wife Cornelia by his side.

The takeaway

This tragic story highlights the lengths to which some politicians will go to cling to power, even at the expense of their own family's wellbeing. George Wallace's deceit towards his dying wife Lurleen raises serious ethical questions about the morality of political ambition and its consequences.