James W. Holley III facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dr.
James W. Holley III
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| Mayor of Portsmouth, Virginia | |
| In office July 1984 – December 1987 |
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| Preceded by | Julian E. Johansen |
| In office July 1996 – July 2010 |
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| Succeeded by | Kenneth I. Wright |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 24, 1926 Portsmouth, Virginia, United States |
| Died | October 5, 2012 (aged 85) Portsmouth, Virginia, United States |
| Political party | Independent |
| Spouse | Mary Holley |
| Alma mater | West Virginia State College |
James W. Holley III (born November 24, 1926 – died October 5, 2012) was an American politician and dentist. He made history by becoming the first Black mayor of Portsmouth, Virginia. He also served as the city's mayor for the longest time.
Interestingly, both of his terms as mayor ended because he was recalled from office. This means voters chose to remove him before his term was over. He was the only known politician in American history to be recalled twice until 2012.
Contents
Early Life and Education
James W. Holley III was born in 1926. He finished high school at I. C. Norcom High School in Portsmouth in 1944. After high school, he joined the United States Army and served during World War II. He was stationed in Camp Livingston in Louisiana.
After the war, Holley went to West Virginia State College. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1949. Then, he moved to Washington, D.C. to study dentistry at the Howard University College of Dentistry. He graduated in 1955. He also received an honorary law degree from West Virginia State. He was able to attend college thanks to the G.I. Bill, which helps veterans pay for education.
In the late 1950s, Holley met Mary Walker, a student at Virginia Union University. They got married in 1960.
Civil Rights Activism
Holley was very active during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s. He played a big part in ending segregation in Portsmouth. Segregation meant that Black and white people were kept separate in public places.
Holley won court cases that allowed everyone to use the city's libraries, hospitals, restaurants, and golf courses equally. In 1961, he and another dentist, Dr. Hugo Owens, tried to get service at the public library. They were turned away because of their race. This event eventually led to the city's public library combining with the segregated Black library. During his work in the Civil Rights Movement, Holley welcomed Martin Luther King Jr. into his home several times.
Political Career
Holley first served on the Portsmouth City Council from 1968 to 1984. He was also the vice-mayor from 1978 to 1980. When he was elected in 1968, he became the first African American to serve on Portsmouth's City Council.
He served as mayor twice. His first term was from July 1, 1984, to December 15, 1987. His second term was from July 1996 to July 13, 2010. Holley was the first African American mayor in Portsmouth's history. He also served as mayor for more years than anyone else.
First Mayoral Term and Recall
Holley's first term as mayor ended when he was recalled from office. This was due to issues with his spending and other problems. He became the first politician in Virginia in modern times to be recalled. After he was removed, Gloria O. Webb became Portsmouth's first female mayor. She served for ten years without anyone running against her.
Second Mayoral Term and Recall
In May 2008, Holley won a close election against Martha Ann Creecy. This was the first time he had faced a challenger for mayor since 1996.
However, Holley was recalled for a second time on July 13, 2010. This second recall effort started in 2009. It began after an assistant made a complaint about him. The accusations were that he was verbally harsh and made city employees do his personal errands during work hours. These accusations became public. The Portsmouth City Council fined Holley $2,500 and asked him to retire. They said he had a history of treating his staff poorly.
Holley refused to retire. So, his opponents started a petition to recall him. They collected 8,000 signatures, which was enough for a judge to put the recall on the ballot. Voters then decided to remove him from office.
Political Views and Support
Even though Holley was an Independent politician, he supported candidates from both the Democratic and Republican parties. For example, he supported Hillary Clinton's run for president in 2008. He also supported former Senator George Allen in his 2006 re-election campaign. He also made a campaign contribution to Barack Obama.
In 2008, Holley suggested that Portsmouth needed a "black" hotel to balance out the "white" Renaissance Hotel. He later apologized for this comment, saying his words were misunderstood. Holley had been an early supporter of the Renaissance Hotel. His picture hangs in the lobby, and the hotel even named its ballroom the "Holley Ballroom."
James W. Holley III passed away in 2012 at the age of 85 after having a stroke.
See also
In Spanish: James W. Holley, III para niños
