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Faubus was born in rural Combs near Huntsville in Madison County in northwestern Arkansas. His father, Sam, an admirer of the [[Socialism|Socialist Party]] standard bearer [[Eugene Debs]], gave Orval the middle name of "Eugene" in honor of Debs, the president of a railroad union and Socialist presidential nominee on five occasions. Faubus served in the [[United States Army]] during [[World War II]] and thereafter was an activist for veterans' causes.

Faubus was born in rural Combs near Huntsville in Madison County in northwestern Arkansas. His father, Sam, an admirer of the [[Socialism|Socialist Party]] standard bearer [[Eugene Debs]], gave Orval the middle name of "Eugene" in honor of Debs, the president of a railroad union and Socialist presidential nominee on five occasions. Faubus served in the [[United States Army]] during [[World War II]] and thereafter was an activist for veterans' causes.

Faubus unseated fellow Democrat Sidney Sanders McMath in the 1954 Democratic gubernatorial primary and then defeated a stronger-than-usual [[Republican]] candidate, Pratt Remmel, the mayor of Little Rock from 1951 to 1955. In 1956, he defeated [[James D. Johnson]], a fellow segregationist and later a member of the Arkansas Supreme Court known as "Justice Jim." In 1964, Faubus defeated Republican [[Winthrop Rockefeller]], 57-43 percent, but Rockefeller polled a majority of the [[African American]] vote. Rockefeller lost some conservative support to Faubus as a result of a feud from 1962 to 1964 between Rockefeller partisans and the former state party chairman, [[William L. Spicer]] of [[Fort Smith, Arkansas|Fort Smith]]. Faubus stepped down in 1967, having declined to run for a seventh then two-year term. At that time, Rockefeller  defeated Democrat Jim Johnson to win the first of his two two-year terms. The office became four years effective with the 1986 election.

Faubus unseated fellow Democrat Sidney Sanders McMath in the 1954 Democratic gubernatorial primary and then defeated a stronger-than-usual Republican candidate, Pratt Remmel, the mayor of Little Rock from 1951 to 1955. In 1956, he defeated [[James D. Johnson]], a fellow segregationist and later a member of the Arkansas Supreme Court known as "Justice Jim." In 1964, Faubus defeated Republican [[Winthrop Rockefeller]], 57-43 percent, but Rockefeller polled a majority of the [[African American]] vote. Rockefeller lost some conservative support to Faubus as a result of a feud from 1962 to 1964 between Rockefeller partisans and the former state party chairman, [[William L. Spicer]] of [[Fort Smith, Arkansas|Fort Smith]]. Faubus stepped down in 1967, having declined to run for a seventh then two-year term. At that time, Rockefeller  defeated Democrat Jim Johnson to win the first of his two two-year terms. The office became four years effective with the 1986 election.

Faubus sought comeback attempts in 1970, 1974, and 1986, but each time he lost the Democratic gubernatorial primary elections to [[Dale Bumpers]], [[David Pryor]], and [[Bill Clinton]], respectively.

Faubus sought comeback attempts in 1970, 1974, and 1986, but each time he lost the Democratic gubernatorial primary elections to [[Dale Bumpers]], [[David Pryor]], and [[Bill Clinton]], respectively.

In 1981-1982, Faubus served as the state's veterans affairs director under Republican Governor [[Frank D. White]], who served between the first two terms of Bill Clinton. Democrats and some [[liberal]] Republicans strongly criticized White for naming Faubus to the position.

In 1981-1982, Faubus served as the state's veterans affairs director under Republican Governor [[Frank D. White]], who served between the first two terms of Bill Clinton. Democrats and some [[liberal]] Republicans strongly criticized White for naming Faubus to the position.

Faubus and his first wife, the former Alta Haskins, from whom he was divorced after leaving the governorship, had one son, Farrell Faubus (1939-1976), who died in [[Seattle]], [[Washington]] of a drug overdose.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/1994/12/15/obituaries/orval-faubus-segregation-s-champion-dies-at-84.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm|title= Orval Faubus, Segregation's Champion, Dies at 84|author=Peter Applebome|date=December 15, 1994|publisher=''[The New York Times]]''|accessdate=September 26, 2012.</ref> His second wife, the former Elizabeth Westmoreland, was murdered in 1983 in [[Houston, Texas|Houston]], [[Texas]]. His third wife, the former Jan Wittenburg, survived him.

Faubus and his first wife, the former Alta Haskins, from whom he was divorced after leaving the governorship, had one son, Farrell Faubus (1939-1976), who died in [[Seattle]], [[Washington]] of a drug overdose.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/1994/12/15/obituaries/orval-faubus-segregation-s-champion-dies-at-84.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm|title= Orval Faubus, Segregation's Champion, Dies at 84|author=Peter Applebome|date=December 15, 1994|publisher=''[The New York Times]]''|accessdate=September 26, 2012}}</ref> His second wife, the former Elizabeth Westmoreland, was murdered in 1983 in [[Houston, Texas|Houston]], [[Texas]]. His third wife, the former Jan Wittenburg, survived him.

In the late 1970s, Faubus penned his "scrapbook" memoirs under the title ''Down from the Hills'', a reference to the highland area of northwestern Arkansas where he was born and reared. Faubus is interred at the Combs Cemetery.

In the late 1970s, Faubus penned his "scrapbook" memoirs under the title ''Down from the Hills'', a reference to the highland area of northwestern Arkansas where he was born and reared. Faubus is interred at the Combs Cemetery.