Voters’ Rights Rally To Honor Sarasota Civil Rights Icon Saturday

SARASOTA, FL — The Suncoast Women of Action will host a voters’ rights rally in honor of Sarasota’s late civil rights icon Dr. Edward James II Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Newtown Estates Park pavilion.

James was the lead plaintiff in the federal case James v. City of Sarasota, Fla. that challenged the method by which Sarasota city commissioners were elected, SWA said in a news release. As a result, on April 9, 1985, Fredd Atkins became the first Black person elected to the Sarasota City Commission.

“Dr. James was an advocate, scholar, leader and teacher who believed in equality for Sarasota’s Black residents especially in the areas of voting, education and employment,” said Helen James, president of SWA. “This event reminds our community of the sacrifices that people like Dr. James made so that Black residents can have access to basic civil liberties without any prejudice.”

The voters’ rights rally coincides with the first day of early voting for the school district millage referendum and county charter referendum. Early voting will be available from Sat., Feb. 26 to Sun., Mar. 6 at the Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Public Library, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

SWA also noted some of James’ other accomplishments that continue to impact the Sarasota community at-large and Newtown residents are:

• Being elected as the Sarasota County NAACP’s first youth president during his sophomore year of high school.
• Becoming the first Black writer and columnist for The Sarasota Journal, the sister publication of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
• Being the first Black anchor of WXLT, present-day WWSB-TV, and the host of “Black Almanac,” which is now called “Empowering Voices,” the longest running public affairs program in the Tampa Bay area.
• The first and only Black person to serve as a spokesman and deputy chief investigator for the State Attorney’s Office of the 12th Judicial Circuit of Florida.
• Authoring the first affirmative action plans for the city of Bradenton, Sarasota County government, governor of Florida and the Florida Comptroller’s Office.