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1969, Coates joined other members of the Board of Education to review school textbooks for examples of racism and outdated content.[19] A high-school textbook described Southerners during the Civil War as "ready to defend the Southern way of life...slavery or no slavery".[19]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