Bishop Frederick Calhoun James celebrates 100th Birthday Congratulatory expressions can be sent to  Bishop Frederick Calhoun James 2421 Lang Road Columbia, SC 29204 Phone: 803-256-8756 FAX (803) 787-8215 Email:  BishopfredCJames@aol.com Please see the following tribute prepared by Mrs. Ora Easley, Administrator of the Clergy and Family Information Center Bishop Frederick Calhoun James,  the 93rd Elected and Consecrated Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal  Church, the oldest living Bishop in Methodism in the USA; still living holding “True to his Christian Social Action Legacy.”  Born 100 years ago, April 7, 1922 Bishop Frederick Calhoun James was born on April 7, 1922, in Prosperity, South Carolina, the son of Edward and Rosa Lee James. He graduated from Drayton Street High School, Newberry, South Carolina. He graduated from Bettis Junior College with an Associate of Arts Degree and earned his B.A. degree in History/English from Allen University (1943), and his Master of Divinity degree from the Howard University School of Religion (1947). He also studied at Union Theological Seminary in New York. He married Theressa Gregg on December 30, 1944.  As a champion for civil rights, Rev. James became a community and state social and political action leader. In 1960, he was elected Consultant/Director of Social Action of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. In this position, he formed a close relationship with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In 1963, he became President of the Effective Sumter Movement of Sumter, South Carolina, a historic chapter in civil rights. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Dr. Frederick C. James and City Attorney William McClain. Photo taken in Cincinnati, Ohio, at the A.M.E. Church General Conference, May 1964.  Dr. Frederick C. James introduced Dr. King to the General Conference assembly.  In 1967, as pastor of Mt. Pisgah A.M.E. Church, Rev. James led the sponsorship of the first 221(d) Rent Supplement Housing Project in South Carolina. In 1969, he initiated the first 221(h) Home Ownership Project in the state. He was South Carolina’s first African American Congressional District member of the Department of Alcohol and Drug Abuse and the Department of Social Services. He was the first African American to serve on the Board of Directors at NBSC (National Bank of South Carolina), now SYNOVUS, the first African American member of the Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce and the first A. M. E. Bishop elected from a South Carolina A. M. E. Church pulpit. From 1987 to 1992 he was a member of the Columbia Housing Authority and served as vice chair. He also served as Vice President of the S. C. Christian Action Council.    From the pulpit of Mt. Pisgah A.M.E. Church, Sumter, South Carolina the Rev. Frederick C. James was elected and consecrated as the 93rd Bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1972. FOLLOW THE EPISCOPAL MINISTRY OF THE LEGENDARY JAMES TEAM IN WORDS AND PHOTOS  - THE SERVANTS OF GOD AND HUMANKIND - A GLIMPSE INTO THE DISTRICTS SERVED (Click on each link below to see photos.) In 1972,  he was assigned as the Presiding Bishop of the AME Church in South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Swaziland, Namibia, and Mozambique. Headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa, he established schools, a publishing house, churches, and other institutions. *A glimpse of the work in Districts Fifteen and Eighteen:  In 1976, Bishop James was assigned bishop in Arkansas and Oklahoma. He formed a lifelong friendship with then Attorney Bill Clinton.  He built housing projects, strengthened schools and led Shorter College in Little Rock to full accreditation in 1981. *A glimpse of the work in the Twelfth District In 1984, he was assigned to the 7th Episcopal District, State of South Carolina. He  built housing projects and strengthened Allen University to full accreditation in 1992. *A glimpse of the work in the Seventh District: In 1993, he was given major fiscal and reconciliation duties as Bishop of the Second Episcopal District (Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia, and North Carolina) of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the district was stabilized in many ways. *A glimpse of the work in the Second District: *A glimpse of the Second District tours to the 15th, 17th, 18th and 19th Districts:     In 1994, he was selected by President Clinton as an official member of the delegation to attend the inauguration of South African President Nelson Mandela, and in 1998 he was again chosen to accompany President and Mrs. Clinton on an official visit to South Africa.    Click the link below to view the poem penned by Bishop Frederick Calhoun James, "Flying Home From The Nelson Mandela Inauguration" May 1994; aboard Air Force Two, and a portion of the delegation: Flying_Home_From_The_Nelson_Mandela_Inauguration.02.pdf Pictorial view of Bishop Frederick Calhoun James with President Bill Clinton, Vice President Al Gore and Supervisor James: pictoral_journal.03.pdf The Printed Words "To God Be The Glory" by Rev. Dr. Mankekolo Mahlangu-Ngcobo, brilliant Author, Teacher, Preacher "Forward In Faith" by Bishop Frederick Calhoun James "African Methodism in South Carolina A Bicentennial Focus" by Bishop Frederick Calhoun James Ecumenical theologian, advocate for fair and decent housing, proponent of civil rights, political leader and public servant are only a few of the characteristics of Bishop Frederick Calhoun James! Bishop Frederick Calhoun James wishes for his Legacy to be,  "He majored in Righteousness in the Sight of God.”

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