James Everett Chase facts for kids

James Everett Chase (born March 29, 1914 – died May 19, 1987) was an important African American politician from Spokane, Washington. He made history in 1981 when he was elected mayor of Spokane. He won by a large margin, getting 62% of the votes. This made him the second African American mayor in the entire state of Washington.

Early Life and Work

James Chase was born in Wharton, Texas, and grew up in Ballinger, Texas. In 1934, he moved to Spokane with two friends, Harry Blackwell and Elmo Dalbert. They had just finished serving in the Civilian Conservation Corps, a program that helped young men find work during the Great Depression.

Once in Spokane, they found jobs at a hotel. Later, James Chase and his friends opened their own auto body repair shop. He was a co-owner of Blackwell and Chase Body and Fender Repair from 1940 to 1942. During World War II, he supervised a body repair shop for the U.S. Air Force at Geiger Field. After the war, he co-owned Chase and Dalbert Body and Fender Repair until he retired in 1981.

Working for Civil Rights

For all of the 1960s, James Chase was the president of Spokane's branch of the NAACP. The NAACP is a group that works for equal rights for African Americans. Under his leadership, the NAACP in Spokane focused on stopping unfair treatment in housing, public places, and jobs.

Chase and the NAACP worked to investigate claims of housing discrimination. This meant people were treated unfairly when trying to find a home because of their race. They presented their findings to the Washington State Board Against Discrimination in 1961. The Board found that some real estate companies were indeed treating people unfairly.

In the 1960s, some businesses in Spokane still refused to serve Black customers. Chase and the NAACP took on a case where a student from Gonzaga University was not allowed to get a haircut at a barber shop. Even though the student was just visiting, Chase used this event to show how unfair things were in Spokane.

The NAACP also encouraged African Americans to report unfair job practices. The Washington State Board Against Discrimination investigated many of these claims. By late 1969, Chase felt it was time for someone new to lead the NAACP. He passed the role to another local activist, Joseph Trim.

Serving on the Spokane City Council

James Chase first ran for city council in 1969 but lost. He ran again in 1975 and won by a small number of votes. This made him the first African American city council member in Spokane's history.

On the council, Chase quickly became known for speaking out against slow decisions. He believed the council was wasting money by not acting quickly enough. He was also a strong supporter of making government more open and honest.

Chase cared a lot about social services, especially for young people. In 1978 and 1979, he strongly defended the Spokane Area Youth Committee. The council was thinking about cutting its funding. At one point, Chase even said he would quit the council if they cut the funds. He was re-elected in 1979 by a large margin, showing how much support he had.

Becoming Spokane's Mayor

On November 3, 1981, James Chase became Spokane's first African American mayor. He won the election with 72% of the votes. People saw Mayor Chase as a steady, honest leader with a lot of common sense and dignity. He was careful to avoid arguments with the people he served.

After becoming mayor, Chase started working right away. He created a "1% for Art" program. This program set aside 1% of the cost of city buildings to buy art for them. You can still see the results of this program today at the Chase art gallery outside City Hall. During his time as mayor, Chase helped Spokane move forward and accept an African American mayor.

However, even with a Black mayor, some racial tensions still existed. In April 1983, Mayor Chase faced criticism from equal rights groups. This was because he allowed a white supremacist group to hold a rally in downtown Spokane. The group was given a permit to gather peacefully.

The rally was planned for June 26, 1983, at the clock tower in Riverfront Park. Many civil rights groups asked Mayor Chase to stop the rally, saying it would be dangerous. But Mayor Chase chose to follow the law. He explained that "freedom of speech is the cornerstone of democracy." He also said that "First Amendment rights protect both white supremacists and minorities." Mayor Chase made it clear he was not afraid of the group. He even said, "I'm not afraid of those guys, I'm going to that rally." With a large police presence, the rally happened with very little violence.

Chase's big win and his unique leadership style brought a new time of civil rights to Spokane. It gave hope to Black people in Spokane and made a dream come true for many older members of the Black community.

As his first term ended, Chase had back surgery and a difficult recovery. He announced that he would not run for another term. He said it was hard to leave something that was going so well, but also good to leave it in a strong position.

His Lasting Legacy

Throughout his career, James Chase received many honors. In 1983, the Spokane Black Centennial Committee celebrated him and his wife, Eleanor. In 1985, he received the President's Medal from Eastern Washington University. Governor Booth Gardener even declared December 12, 1985, to be James Chase Day.

Chase is well-known for the Chase Youth Commission. This group works on issues important to young people in Spokane. It includes the Chase Youth Awards and the Chase Youth issues forum. The commission is an official city group, with 8 adults and 7 young people joining each year. Chase Middle School in Spokane is also named after him.

Personal Life

Soon after moving to Spokane, James Chase joined an African Methodist Episcopal Church. He sang baritone in the choir and also played saxophone in a local jazz band.

Chase met his future wife, Eleanor Barrow, when she was 15. They were friends for several years before getting married in 1942. Their first son, Roland, was born the next year.

James Chase passed away from cancer at age 73 at Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane. His funeral was held at St. John's Episcopal Cathedral. Over a thousand people attended, showing how much he was respected. He was buried at Fairmount Memorial Park.