Rev. Clarence L. James, Sr.

Rev. Clarence L. James, Sr. was born on March 14, 1948, on Chicago’s Westside to Jesse Joseph James, Jr. and Mayme Graves James. He was the second child and second son of what would eventually be a family of six children. 

Clarence was a precocious child, exhibiting immense intelligence and a fondness for learning at an early age. He was just seven, when his father, recognizing Clarence’s innate curiosity and advanced reading level, escorted him to the local library and demanded that Clarence be given an adult library card, which allowed him access to any book he chose. He would spend entire days in the library immersed in reading. Clarence’s intellectual abilities were so acute that as a fifth-grade student, he was promoted and began taking seventh and eighth grade classes. 

Clarence attended John Marshall High School on Chicago’s westside where he was an active student, participating on the debate team and presiding over the Negro History Club. In 1965, when Rev. Dr. Martin L. King, Jr., brought the work of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to Chicago, Clarence promptly joined and was appointed president and chief organizer of the Student Union for Better Education in Chicago. During this time, Rev. Jesse and Mrs. Jacqueline Jackson became Clarence’s mentors. Their tutelage evolved into a lifelong relationship and led to Clarence holding several positions with Operation Breadbasket and then PUSH. During both of Rev. Jackson’s presidential campaigns, Clarence served as Mrs. Jackson’s speechwriter.

In 1967, on the advice of Dr. King, Clarence enrolled in Harvard University. He immediately became active in the struggle to develop an African American Studies department. Because of his activism, Rev. James did not return to Harvard after his first year, instead enrolling in Morehouse College. 

Although always interested in religion and spirituality, Clarence was 19 years old when he was called to the ministry; it took another three years for him to embrace his calling. Once accepted, he became the Rev. Clarence Lumumba Muata Matsimela James. While attending Morehouse College, the now Rev. James met Spelman College student and Atlanta native Miriam Johnson. They were married in 1971 and over the following nine years welcomed six children into their union. 

Rev. James began his pastoral ministry at Bethel Baptist Church in Rockford, IL, where he discovered he had both a gift and passion for working with youth. He subsequently founded Abyssinian Baptist Church in Rockford. Abyssinian was full of young people, leading Rev. James to host weekly rap sessions, using Hip Hop — then a new form of music — to talk to them about the challenges of life. Noticing that many of Rockford’s young people were stuck in cycles of generational pathologies, Rev. James developed a pipeline with Rust College, an Historically Black College & University (HBCU) located in Holly Springs, MS. Through the years, Rev. James helped countless young people earn their degrees, many of which followed him into the ministry or became teachers.

In 1985, the James family relocated to Atlanta, GA where Rev. James became assistant director of admissions at Morehouse College and later, dean of the Morehouse School of Religion. In this role, Rev. James was able to shape a generation of Baptist pastors in Black liberation theology and the need for the Black church to continue leading the Black community in the struggle. 

In 1996, Rev. James, along with his youngest daughter, relocated to the Philadelphia area where he served as chaplain for another HBCU, Lincoln University. During his time in Philadelphia, Rev. James taught at Temple University and Palmer Theological Seminary, which allowed him to influence yet another generation of Black pastors.

Rev. James, who by now was known as the “Black Male Motivator” and the “Black Man’s Preacher,” was recognized for crafting powerful sermons about real life issues and championing the liberation, education, and celebration of Black people. A few of his most notable sermons were: The Difference Between a Boy and a Man; You Don’t Miss Your Water ‘Til Your Well Runs Dry; Don’t Give Up The Ship; and Justice, Mercy, and Grace.  Rev. James authored several books including: Lost Generation or Left Generation; Books Black People Need to Read; and The Difference Between a Boy and a Man.

In 2006, Rev. James returned to Chicago as an itinerant preacher and writer. He often traveled to visit his growing number of grandchildren. Four years later, Rev. James suffered a major stroke and over the next 13 years suffered several additional strokes. His survival was both a testament to his strength of will and God’s grace. On Saturday, June 10, 2023, early in the morning on what would have been his father’s 102nd birthday, the Rev. Clarence Lumumba James, Sr., closed his eyes for the final time and crossed the chilly waters of the Jordan River to join the great cloud of witnesses.

Rev. James was pre-deceased by his son, Danjuma (Kamika) James. He is survived by his wife Estella Brown-James; five children, Clarence James, Jr. of Ames, IA; Rev. Cean (Kesha) James of Philadelphia, PA; Dr. Cailisha (Marlon Sr.) Petty of McLeansville, NC; Dr. Jesse James of Greensboro, NC; and Cemere´ (Richard Borden) James of Temple Hills, MD; nephew-godson, Milton Suggs; siblings Jesse James III, Darthula (Anthony) Young, Ricardo James, Debra James, and Denise James; 21 grandchildren, three great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. Rev. James is also survived by a countless number of godchildren, students, and sons and daughters in the ministry; many for whom he was the only father they ever knew.

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