James Cambell

James Campbell

BTW Class of 1953

Philanthropy

James Campbell first entered Booker T. Washington Jr.-Sr. High School in 1948, as a freshman. During his time at Booker T. he was encouraged by Ms. Estelle Waller to join the school’s choir. He eventually became a soloist and choir student director. On one occasion, the annual Christmas Concert, the Choir Director, Ms. Lelia Williams, became ill. James

was given permission to conduct the entire concert in her absence. This was among his many successes in his illustrious life. Later, James also conducted several numbers at the State annual competition in Tallahassee, Florida. In school, once football season was over, he would join the BTW Band.

After graduating from Booker T. Washington in 1953, he enrolled in Florida A&M University. While at FAMU, he earned three letters in football and also performed with the Mass Choir. Following his graduation from FAMU in 1957 with a B.S. degree in Social Studies, he went on to earn a MS degree from Florida Atlantic University in 1969. He continued his education by doing post graduate studies at Howard University, Indiana University, Florida International University and Nova University. In 1966, he was selected as one of two Black teachers to integrate the faculty of North Miami Senior High School. In 1992, after thirty-four years of service, he retired from Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Throughout his teaching career, Mr. Campbell exposed his students to the world around them and served as a role model to all who knew him.

Mr. Campbell is a life member of the NAACP; a founding sponsor of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial in Washington, D.C.; a charter member of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture; a sponsor of the legendary Tuskegee Airman of World War II; a contributor to St. Joseph Indian School and a life member of FAMU National Alumnae Association. He established and funded the Estelle Waller-Lelia R. Williams Memorial Scholarship for students from Booker T. Washington High School who will attend FAMU. He also coached high school and little league football teams.

Mr. Campbell has visited all fifty states in the United States, including two trips to Hawaii and three vacations to Alaska. He has also vacationed in Europe; China; Brazil; Egypt; Kenya; Mexico; Canada and Tanzania. However, his bucket is still incomplete. He can be described as a “Jack of all trades” and a lover of most types of music.

Mr. Campbell has two children, Tyrone, a U.S. State Department diplomat currently assigned to Moscow, Russia and Patricia Vickers, a charter school math teacher in Chattahoochee, Florida. He often vacations with his family and grandchildren, Ronald, Makari and Izayah. He continues to work on his bucket list.