James Coates (politician)

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James E. Coates
Member of the Council of the District of Columbia
for Ward 8
In office
January 2, 1975 – January 2, 1977
Preceded byNone
Succeeded byWilhelmina Rolark
Personal details
Bornc. 1930[1]
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseMarcia Hall Otey (1987–)[2]
Parent(s)Louise and George E. Coates[3]
Alma materHoward University[4]
ProfessionPastor[4]

James E. Coates is a Baptist minister and former Democratic politician in Washington, D.C.

Early years[edit]

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]

Religious career[edit]

Rev. Coates has been the pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church since October 5, 1957.[4][5]

Political career[edit]

District of Columbia Board of Education[edit]

Nomination in 1967[edit]

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]

Candidacy in 1968[edit]

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]

First term[edit]

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]

Council of the District of Columbia[edit]

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]

Personal life[edit]

Coates married Marcia Hall Otey in January 1987.[3][2]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Candidates For School Board Posts". The Washington Post. May 14, 1967. p. F2.
  2. ^ a b Fisher, Fab. "Over The River: Anacostia-Southeast". Washington Informer. January 28, 1987. p. 20.
  3. ^ a b c d "Marcia Hall Otey to Marry the Rev. James E. Coates". The Washington Post. December 10, 1986. p. B9.
  4. ^ a b c d "Baptist Church To Install Pastor". The Washington Post. October 4, 1958. p. B7.
  5. ^ "About Bethlehem". Bethlehem Baptist Church. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  6. ^ a b Filson, Susan. "School Board Selections Due: Choice to Have Big Impact On System's Policy-Making". The Washington Post. May 14, 1967. p. F1.
  7. ^ Valentine, Paul W. "3 Named To Board of Education: Group to Have Negro Majority For First Time". The Washington Post. June 13, 1967. p. A1.
  8. ^ "7 Contenders Seek 8th-Ward Seat: 8th Ward--Far Southeast". The Washington Post. October 3, 1968. p. G9.
  9. ^ "Baptists Endorse 20 For School Board". The Washington Post. October 26, 1968. p. D32.
  10. ^ a b "New Ides Abound In Anacostia's 8th". The Washington Post. October 27, 1968. p. E9.
  11. ^ MacKaye, William R. "Baptists Back School Slate". The Washington Post. November 21, 1968. p. B4.
  12. ^ "Two Endorsed". The Washington Post. November 22, 1968. p. C8.
  13. ^ "School Board Elections—Final Round" (editorial). The Washington Post. November 24, 1968. p. B6.
  14. ^ Asher, Robert L.; Milius, Peter. "Upsets in 2 Nearby States Divide House Sets Evenly: District". The Washington Post. November 6, 1968.p. A1.
  15. ^ West, Hollie I. "Voters Raising the Issues in 8th Ward Race". The Washington Post. November 23, 1968. p. B2.
  16. ^ "Negro May Head D.C. School Board: Militant Likely to Get Post on First Elected Body". The New York Times. November 28, 1968. p. 48.
  17. ^ "School Board Runoff Vote Confirmed". The Washington Post. December 5, 1968. p. E2.
  18. ^ "City to Pick School Board Today". The Washington Post. November 26, 1968. p. A1.
  19. ^ Denton, Herbert H. "School Board Elects Coates As President: Coates Elected President of School Board". The Washington Post. January 28, 1969. p. D1.
  20. ^ a b c Hoffman, Ellen. "'Racial' Examination Of Text Books Ordered". The Washington Post. February 20, 1969. p. B6.
  21. ^ "Elected Officials: Ward 8 Member of the Council of the District of Columbia[dead link]". District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics. Retrieved on July 29, 2008. Archived from the original Archived 2008-07-23 at the Wayback Machine on July 23, 2008.
Council of the District of Columbia
First Ward 8 Member, Council of the District of Columbia
1975–1977 		Succeeded by
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