John W. Winters facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John W. Winters
Member of the Raleigh City Council
In office July 3, 1961 – 1967
Member of the North Carolina Senate from the 14th district
In office 1975 – July 1, 1977
Personal details
Born	(1920-01-21)January 21, 1920 Raleigh, North Carolina, United States
Died	February 15, 2004(2004-02-15) (aged 84) Atlanta, Georgia
Political party	Democratic Party
Spouse	Marie Montaque ​ (m. 1941)​

John Wesley Winters Sr. (January 21, 1920 – February 15, 2004) was an important American leader. He was a successful real estate developer, a politician, and a civil rights activist. This means he worked to make sure everyone had equal rights.

Winters was a member of the Democratic Party. He served on the City Council in Raleigh, North Carolina from 1961 to 1967. He was also a state senator in the North Carolina Senate from 1975 to 1977.

John Winters was born in Raleigh in 1920. He moved to New York City for school. Later, he returned to Raleigh, got married, and started working to support his family. He began his own construction company and built many homes. In 1961, he made history by becoming the first black person elected to the Raleigh City Council since 1900. He helped pave streets in black neighborhoods that had been ignored. He also advised the governor on civil rights. Winters later served in the North Carolina Senate.

John Winters' Early Life

John Winters was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, on January 21, 1920. He was one of twelve children. He grew up in a neighborhood near downtown Raleigh. His family faced money problems. When he was thirteen, his mother died, and he moved to New York City to live with his sister.

In New York, he went to Frederick Douglass Junior High and Boys High School. He graduated in 1939. He then attended college on football scholarships. On February 3, 1941, he married Marie Montaque. They had eight children together. Winters was a dedicated Catholic.

Winters' Business Success

Winters helped build the Madonna Acres neighborhood.

John Winters started his career with many tough jobs. During World War II, he tried to join the military but couldn't. He worked as a porter at the Raleigh railway station. He saved money and bought a nightclub and a poultry farm. However, he lost both in 1948.

He then worked as a deliveryman for a dairy company. He also worked as a skycap at Raleigh–Durham Airport. While working at the airport, he spoke out against the airport's separate facilities for black and white people. With his savings, he built his own house for his family.

In 1957, Winters started his own company, John W. Winters and Company. He got help from a lumber supplier and a banker to build his first homes. He worked on his business during the day and as a skycap at night. By 1959, he had built 41 homes in a new area he called Madonna Acres.

His company grew and built hundreds of homes and apartment buildings. In the 1980s, his company built Wintershaven, which was affordable housing for older people. He also built some shopping centers. Winters became a millionaire. His company became the largest black-owned real estate business in North Carolina. He also helped start the Meadowbrook Country Club. This club was for wealthy black men who were not allowed in white clubs.

Winters' Political Career

John Winters grew up hearing about politics from his father. He helped with political campaigns, including for Governor Terry Sanford and President John F. Kennedy. He was part of the Raleigh Citizens Association, a group of black community leaders. He worked to help more black people register to vote.

In May 1961, community leaders asked Winters to run for a seat on the Raleigh City Council. He won, becoming the first black person on the council since 1900. He was sworn in on July 3.

Governor Sanford often asked Winters for advice on race and civil rights. Winters was part of a group called the "Oval Table Gang." They met to plan how to end segregation in Raleigh schools and help black candidates. In 1963, the governor appointed Winters to the Good Neighbors Council. This group worked to promote jobs for young people and end segregation in businesses.

Winters helped solve problems between black protesters and the mayor over segregated movie theaters. He also met with Martin Luther King Jr. when King visited Raleigh in 1966. Winters led the council's Public Works Committee for four years. He created a plan to use state money to pave neglected streets in black neighborhoods. He served three terms on the city council, leaving in 1967 to focus on his business.

In 1972, Winters ran for the North Carolina Senate but did not win. Two years later, in 1974, he ran again for a Senate seat in the 14th district. He won the election. This made him one of the first black people elected to the North Carolina Senate since the Reconstruction era. He served from 1975 to 1976.

Winters led the Committee on Alcoholic Beverage Control. He was also a member of many other important committees. He was elected for a second term. In 1977, Governor Jim Hunt appointed him to the North Carolina Utilities Commission. Winters resigned from the Senate on July 1, 1977. In 1984, he ran for the United States House of Representatives but lost. He later served on the University of North Carolina Board of Governors.

Later Life and Legacy

In his later years, John Winters suffered from Parkinson's disease. He passed away on February 15, 2004, in an Atlanta hospital. In 2007, he was honored by being inducted into the Raleigh Hall of Fame.