James Coates
| James E. Coates | |
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| Member of the Council of the District of Columbia for Ward 8 |
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In office January 2, 1975 – January 2, 1977 |
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| Preceded by | None |
| Succeeded by | Wilhelmina Rolark |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 1930 |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Marcia Hall Otey (1987–) |
| Parents | Louise and George E. Coates |
| Alma mater | Howard University |
| Profession | Pastor |
James E. Coates is a Baptist minister and former Democratic politician in Washington, D.C.
James E. Coates was born to Louise and George E. Coates. He attended Howard University's School of Religion, and he graduated with honors.
Rev. Coates has been the pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church since October 5, 1957.
In 1967, Coates was nominated for one of three open seats on the District of Columbia Board of Education. Coates had served as staff director of the Congress Heights Neighborhood Development Center. Coates supported opening schools year-round. He also supported privatizing the operation of vocational schools. Coates' candidacy was endorsed by Americans for Democratic Action and D.C. Citizens for Better Public Education. At the time, federal district judges appointed the members of the District of Columbia Board of Elections. The federal judges decided to appoint other individuals to the District of Columbia Board of Education.
The first public election for members of the District of Columbia Board of Education was held in 1968. Coates was a candidate to represent Ward 8 on the District of Columbia Board of Education. Coates' nomination was endorsed by the Washington Baptist Ministers Conference. Coates supported more training for teachers and contracting with a private developer to build new schools. Coates' candidacy was endorsed by the Washington Teachers Union, the District Republicans, the Baptist Ministers Conference of Washington, D.C., the D.C. Education Association, and the editorial board of The Washington Post. Coates and Edward E. Saunders both advanced to a run-off election. The D.C. Democrats declined to endorse him.
oates won the run-off election, receiving 1,584 votes to Saunders' 1,187 votes.
Coates' term in office began on January 26, 1969. The members of the District of Columbia Board of Education elected Coates president.
In February 1969, Coates joined other members of the Board of Education to review school textbooks for examples of racism and outdated content. A high-school textbook described Southerners during the Civil War as "ready to defend the Southern way of life...slavery or no slavery". Another textbook described Ho Chih Minh as the leader of an "independent movement".
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