Arthur Barclay (American politician) facts for kids

Arthur Barclay was born on April 29, 1982. He is an American who used to play college basketball. Later, he became a politician for the Democratic Party. He served in the New Jersey General Assembly for the 5th Legislative District. He started his term on January 12, 2016, and resigned on June 18, 2018.

Arthur Barclay's Basketball Journey

High School Basketball Success

Arthur Barclay grew up in Camden. He finished high school at Camden High School in 2000. In his final year, he was the captain of the Camden Panthers basketball team. They won the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions. This is a big state championship for high school sports.

In the championship game, his team beat Seton Hall Preparatory School 50–46. Arthur, who was a 6-foot-8-inch (2.03 m) forward, scored 12 points and grabbed 14 rebounds. His teammate, Dajuan Wagner, who later played in the NBA, scored 27 points in that game. Arthur scored a total of 1,259 points during his high school career. In 2013, he was honored by being added to the South Jersey Basketball Hall of Fame.

College Basketball Career

After high school, Arthur Barclay received a scholarship to play basketball at the University of Memphis. This happened in June 2000. He played for the Memphis Tigers men's basketball team for three years.

His average points per game were:

• 2.6 points in the 2001–02 season
• 2.1 points in the 2003–04 season
• 2.1 points in the 2004–05 season

Arthur graduated from Memphis with a bachelor's degree in sociology. After his basketball career, he worked for the Camden County Department of Events and Community Outreach. He also became an assistant basketball coach at Camden High School.

Arthur Barclay's Political Career

Serving on the Camden City Council

In 2009, Arthur Barclay first tried to get elected to the Camden City Council. He ran for an "at-large" seat, which means he would represent the entire city. However, he did not win that election.

In April 2013, a city councilwoman decided not to run again. The local Democratic Party committee chose Arthur Barclay to run in her place. He won the primary election, which is when party members choose their candidates. Then, he won the general election in November 2013. Arthur served on the Camden City Council from 2014 to 2016.

Joining the New Jersey General Assembly

In 2015, Arthur Barclay was selected to run for a seat in the New Jersey General Assembly. This is one of the two parts of the New Jersey state legislature, which makes laws for the state. He ran alongside Patricia Egan Jones. She was chosen to fill a seat that had become open.

As a member of the General Assembly, Arthur Barclay was part of two important groups, called committees. He served on the Higher Education Committee. This committee works on issues related to colleges and universities. He also served on the Law and Public Safety Committee. This group focuses on laws and public safety matters.