‘He gave us his best’: Raleigh, Wake leader James West remembered for years of service
Dr. West.
Commissioner West.
Mayor Pro Tem West.
Deacon West.
Director West.
Chairman West.
The accolades and stories associated with each of these titles came pouring out of friends, colleagues, clergy and elected leaders Monday afternoon at the funeral of James Preston West.
The long-time Raleigh and Wake County elected official died Nov. 18 after a sudden brain hemorrhage. He was 79.
Tributes came from Gov. Roy Cooper, former Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker, Wake County Commissioners Chair Shinica Thomas, as well as pastors, friends and family members at the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts.
“My father was the person at family gatherings you could go and find to talk to if you wanted to hear concepts like American psychologist Abraham Maslow’s theory of a hierarchy of needs along with Bible verses mixed into casual conversations,” said Kimberly West-Faulcon, West’s daughter.
West was appointed to the Wake County Board of Commissioners in 2010 and would go on to win four elections. His seat will be up for election next year.
Before joining the county board, Wese served on the Raleigh City Council from 1999 to 2010, serving as mayor pro tem from 2003 to 2010.
He was gentle and quiet, but powerful, said Shaw University President Paulette Dillard.
“If you ever listened to his speeches or conversations, he always quoted great literature,” she said in an interview with The News & Observer. “He was such a reader and student of history.”
As a student at N.C. Agricultural and Technical College, West was arrested during a protest over a movie theater in Greensboro that had a whites’ only section.
He became the first Black person promoted to state director of county operations at the N.C. Agricultural Extension Service. He was a plaintiff in a watershed racial discrimination case over Black people getting less pay and fewer assignments and promotions than white people received.
“He was always talking about diversity, equity and inclusion before that term was even coined,” said state Sen. Dan Blue.
Elaine Marshall, N.C. Secretary of State, knew West originally through his sister and their connection in the Cooperative Extension.
“His conscience will be missed,” she said. “And speaking up for those not at the table. I think James would ask you to find the root cause of the issue and solve it. Not just apply a Band-Aid.”
For over 50 years, Richard Liles said, James West was his best friend. The two worked together as county agents at the Wake County Extension Service. At the time they oversaw 4-H clubs, made mostly up of segregated community clubs.
“Well James and I decided that was not good,” Liles said. “So we worked together to integrate the entire 4-H program in Wake County. With James’ leadership, we recruited over 3,000 new 4-H members. Most of them were African American.”
They started one of the first urban 4-H clubs in the country. After West retired, they formed a consulting company working with the country’s public historically black colleges and universities.
“James could quote from the Bible like a Baptist preacher,” Liles said. “And he could pull from every leadership book that he’d ever read. And he also had what we call ‘wise-country sayings.’ One of those sayings, which I think was one of his favorites was ‘Give it your best and leave the rest.’ Well, we know he gave us his best. He always gave us his best.”
