Anthony Foxx was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1971, and raised by his mother and his maternal grandparents. He graduated from West Charlotte High School and then received a degree in history from Davidson College in 1993. He attended New York University as a Root-Tilden scholar focused on public service. After graduating from law school in 1996, Foxx returned to Charlotte to practice law. He then served as a law clerk for the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and worked for the civil rights division of the Department of Justice and the U.S. House Judiciary Committee.

Foxx returned to Charlotte in 2001 and was elected to the Charlotte city council in 2005, serving two terms. After being elected mayor of Charlotte in 2009, he focused on reviving the city's economy, which was affected by the 2008 recession. He oversaw infrastructure developments such as extending the city's light rail system, expanding the airport, and developing a streetcar project. He also successfully worked to bring the 2012 Democratic National Convention to Charlotte. After President Barack Obama nominated Foxx as secretary of the Department of Transportation, the U.S. Senate confirmed him unanimously, and Foxx was sworn in n July 2013. As secretary, Foxx will oversee the development, maintenance, and safety of nation's infrastructure such as bridges and roads, and its transportation systems such as rail, transit, and aviation.