James L. Blair was born on May 2, 1960 in Birmingham, Alabama. He was the fourth of five children born to the late Rosie Lee Blair. James was a product of the Birmingham City Schools system. He was an outstanding student and exceptional athlete. He was an honor student and a star player for the Carol W. Hayes High School Pacesetters basketball team. For the state of Alabama in 1979, he was a finalists for “Mr. Basketball.” Additionally, he was active in a number of school and community organizations, and during the 1978-1979 school year he served as the senior class president. James first became interested in working with young children while he was no more than a child himself and still in high school. He was a volunteer for a number of community organizations and a coach for the Special Olympics. He graduated from Hayes High School in the top of the “Class of 1979.”
show moreHis commitment to academic excellence and his dedication to the game of basketball resulted in him receiving a full, four-year scholarship to Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Wofford in 1983. From 1979 to 1983, James was a star player for the Wofford Terriers men’s basketball team. He was a four-year letterman and received numerous athletic awards and honors, including being the second leading scorer in the history of the school. When James ended his impressive collegiate basketball career in 1983, he had the distinct honor of being the first and only African-American athlete in the history of the prestigious college to have his playing jersey (#44) retired. To this day, some of his athletic records still have not been broken. James was inducted into Wofford’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1994. In 2004, he received the Wofford Alumni Distinguished Service Award for his work with at-risk children and youth in the states of Alabama and Texas.
Upon graduating from Wofford, James played professional basketball in the Philippines for a brief period before returning to the States and entering the business world and the field of education. James had the privilege of coaching basketball at his alma mater, Carol W. Hayes, for a number of years while it was a high school and later when it was converted to a middle school. He was part of the Pacesetters high school boys’
basketball coaching staff when Hayes High School won the state championship in 1987. Then after Hayes became a middle school, he coached the boys’ basketball team to back-to-back city championships in 1990 and 1991. Long after he stopped coaching basketball to pursue other career interests, many of his former students and friends still fondly referred to him as “Coach.”
James was the former Executive Director of Caring Helps Another Make Progress, Inc. (CHAMP) in Birmingham. CHAMP was a non-profit organization designed to help at-risk, inner-city Birmingham youth in the Avondale and Kingston communities, where James grew up. He saw the need to go back to the impoverished area and reach out to the youth in the community. With each of the CHAMP participants that
he worked with, his desire was to help that child attain his or her full potential and achieve his or her goals. He explained, “I believe that reaching out to today’s youth must consist of ministering to the total person — 2 mind, body, and soul.” Under his dedicated leadership, CHAMP was nominated for the distinguished 1991 President’s Volunteer Action “Point of Light” Award from former President George H. W. Bush.
In 1993, James relocated to San Antonio after accepting the position of Executive Director of the Miller Child Development Center, Inc. (MCDC). He served in this leadership position for 18 years. The MCDC, founded in 1969 by the late Hazel T. Miller, is an exceptional school and child care institution for children infant to school age. The Center offers infant, toddler, preschool, after school, and summer programs. James was a
rare male figure in the early childhood development profession and extremely dedicated to promoting
educational opportunities and enrichment programs for young children.
Additionally, James was the manager of the family owned and operated Bratcher-Freeman-Blair Partnership rental properties in San Antonio and Kerrville, Texas.
He received numerous professional and community service awards and honors including San Antonio’s Rising Stars 40 Under 40 (1999), Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc./San Antonio Metropolitan Chapter Education Service Award (2001), Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc./Psi Alpha Chapter Educator of the Year (2002), Wofford College Alumni Distinguished Service Award (2004), Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc./River City Chapter Educator’s Award (2007), and the Psi Alpha Chapter Omega Man of the Year (2006 and 2009).
James married the former Shawana Freeman, of San Antonio, and together they raised five children – Telica, Shamia, Clayton, Lindsey, and Jasmine. He was a dedicated husband and family man, who devoted countless hours to his children as well as to his nieces, nephews and other children in his extended family.
He was a devoted member of Second Baptist Church (SBC), where he was an Ordained Deacon and Church Treasurer. Additionally, he was active with the Church Finance Committee, Church Advisory Committee, Youth Advisory Committee, Men’s Usher Board, Breakfast Ministry, and the SBC Community Center Vision 2008 Leadership Team. James was a devout Christian and concentrated a great portion of his time to Christian endeavors such as ministering to the youth in his church and community, visiting those who were
sick and shut-in, and performing kind deeds for the elderly and the less fortunate. He will always be remembered for his compassion and generosity.
James was an avid community service volunteer and active in a number of civic organizations. He was the current Basileus (President) of the Psi Alpha Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. in San Antonio. James was initiated into the Tau Delta Chapter at Wofford College in Spring 1981. James joined the Psi Alpha Chapter when he moved to San Antonio and had the pleasure of serving the Chapter with his late father-in-
law, Sidney E. Freeman, Sr. He was elected Basileus in October 2008 after serving as Vice Basileus since 2005. Under his dedicated leadership, the Psi Alpha Chapter was successful in increasing membership participation, programs, and fundraising. James served in many positions within the Fraternity but Brotherhood meant more to him than any office or title he ever held. He was a Life Member of the Fraternity
with 30 years of devoted service. James served his beloved Omega Psi Phi Fraternity with dignity and honor,
and he lived out the true meaning of the motto, “Friendship is essential to the soul.”
He was also a Connecting Link in the San Antonio Chapter of The Links, Inc. and in the Father’s Auxiliary of the San Antonio Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc.
James departed this life on July 1, 2011. He is survived by his wife, Shawana Freeman Blair of San Antonio; five children, Telica (Kevin) Walker of Birmingham, Shamia Priestley, Clayton (Nicey) Priestley, Lindsey Blair, and Jasmine Blair of San Antonio; two sisters, Denise (Fred) Holder and Mary Blair of Birmingham; and one sister-in-law, Lelia Blair Underwood of Birmingham.
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May 2, 1960 – July 1, 2011