MEMPHIS, Tenn —
In a year already dominated by death and despair, the passing of Rev. James L Netters means Memphis has lost yet another trailblazing icon. Netters died early Sunday morning surrounded by his family.
He was 93, and his accomplishments are far too lengthy to recount here. They are highlighted by his election as one of the first three African American city council members in 1967, when Memphis switched to a mayor-council form of government. He was the last living member of that council and while he served only one term, his community service went far beyond city hall.
It actually began years earlier when he became active in the civil rights movement. He was among several people arrested in 1964 for participating in sit-ins on city buses to protest segregation. Rev. Netters also spent more than 50 years as the beloved senior pastor of Mount Vernon Baptist Church Westwood, and he served in the administration of former Mayor Wyeth Chandler.
Even in his 90s, Rev. Netter continued to give back to the community. In 2018, he eagerly accepted my invitation to speak to University of Memphis students about his council role during the 1968 city sanitation strike and assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Every current elected official in Memphis, regardless of race, stands on the shoulders of Rev. Dr. James Netters, a man who taught us all the true meaning of public service.
That’s my point of view. I’m Otis Sanford, for Local 24 News.