James E. Coates | |
---|---|
Member of the Council of the District of Columbia for Ward 8 | |
In office January 2, 1975 –January 2, 1977 | |
Preceded by | None |
Succeeded by | Wilhelmina Rolark |
Personal details | |
Born | c. 1930 [1] |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Marcia Hall Otey (1987–) [2] |
Parent(s) | Louise and George E. Coates [3] |
Alma mater | Howard University [4] |
Profession | Pastor [4] |
James E. Coates is a Baptist minister and former Democratic politician in Washington,D.C.
James E. Coates was born to Louise and George E. Coates. [3] He attended Howard University's School of Religion,and he graduated with honors. [3] [4]
Rev. Coates has been the pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church since October 5,1957. [4] [5]
In 1967,Coates was nominated for one of three open seats on the District of Columbia Board of Education. [1] [6] Coates had served as staff director of the Congress Heights Neighborhood Development Center. [1] Coates supported opening schools year-round. [1] He also supported privatizing the operation of vocational schools. [1] Coates' candidacy was endorsed by Americans for Democratic Action and D.C. Citizens for Better Public Education. [1] At the time,federal district judges appointed the members of the District of Columbia Board of Elections. [6] The federal judges decided to appoint other individuals to the District of Columbia Board of Education. [7]
The first public election for members of the District of Columbia Board of Education was held in 1968. Coates was a candidate to represent Ward 8 on the District of Columbia Board of Education. [8] Coates' nomination was endorsed by the Washington Baptist Ministers Conference. [9] Coates supported more training for teachers and contracting with a private developer to build new schools. [10] Coates' candidacy was endorsed by the Washington Teachers Union,the District Republicans, [10] the Baptist Ministers Conference of Washington,D.C., [11] the D.C. Education Association, [12] and the editorial board of The Washington Post . [13] Coates and Edward E. Saunders both advanced to a run-off election. [14] The D.C. Democrats declined to endorse him. [15] Coates won the run-off election, [16] receiving 1,584 votes to Saunders' 1,187 votes. [17]
Coates' term in office began on January 26,1969. [18] The members of the District of Columbia Board of Education elected Coates president. [19]
In February 1969,Coates joined other members of the Board of Education to review school textbooks for examples of racism and outdated content. [20] A high-school textbook described Southerners during the Civil War as "ready to defend the Southern way of life...slavery or no slavery". [20] Another textbook described Ho Chih Minh as the leader of an "independent movement". [20]
Coates was elected as one of the original members of the Council of the District of Columbia in 1974 when D.C. gained home rule. Coates represented Ward 8 on the council from 1975 to 1977. [21]
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