Birthplace: Evadale, Arkansas

Son of: The late W.L. and Lula M. James

Education: Graduate of Lincoln High School, Forrest City, Arkansas, Graduate of Morehouse College, Atlanta Georgia, The Morehouse School of Religion, Atlanta Georgia, Attended Atlanta University, Atlanta, Georgia

Pastorates: Zion Hill Baptist Church, Rockmart, Georgia; Shiloh Baptist Church, Brunswick, Georgia, and Presently Pastoring St. John Baptist Church, Gary, Indiana

Organizations: Past Pres. Of Baptist City Ministry, Inc. Of Gary Indiana. Past President of the Baptist Minster's Conference of Gary, Indiana and Vicinity, Past President of Fellowship of Ministers and interracial and an interdenominational organization of Ministers of Gary and Vicinity, Past President of Local NAACP...... Founder of Fair Shar Organization, a Civil Rights organization on Fair Employment practice in Gary and Vicinity. This organization lead to the employment of Black people where they were not formerly employed....... Founder and first president of the Freedom Movement, a Cicil Rights Organization which had to do with Fair Housing and ultimately led to the enactment of Fair Housing Legislation for the City to Gary....Chairman of Human Relations Commission of the City of Gary, Member of Mayor's Commission on School Board Appointment, Member of the Lake County Economic Opportunity Board, member of the Board of Directors of The Morehouse School Mercy joint Hospital Fund Board, Counselor for the Concentrated Employment Program of Gary. Sponsor of Non-Profit Houses, 144 Housing Units under the Federal Rehabilitation Act.

Awards and Grants: Recipient of Honorary Doctorate of Divinity Degree from Birmingham Baptist Bible College, 1958 recipient of the Frontiers award contribution in the field of Civil Rights, 1959 recipient of Fair Share Award for contribution in the field of Civil Rights. 1965 recipient of the Mary Overington Award given by local NAACP for most outstanding contribution in Human Relations. 1963 recipient of Lily Foundation scholarship for Summer Seminar at Virginia Union University. 1965 guest of Bishop Grutka, Bishop of Gary Diocese and Vicinity, to Vatican II Fourth Session of Ecumenical Council. Served as guest speaker at North American College where young men from North America study for the Priesthood, Rome, Italy. Inducted into the Gary Hall of Fame- July 16, 1987. Received the Brum Major Award January 16, 1989- Given by Gary Frontiers Service Club. One of the Chaplains for the Gary Police Dept. Board Member for "Buck Up Your Police". Chairman of Resolution Comm. Of P.N.B.C., elected to the Publishing Board of the Progressive National Baptist Convention.

Marital Status: Married to the former Gloria Hightower of Atlanta, Georgia. The father of seven children and fourteen grandchildren.