Ralph Campbell Jr.
| Ralph Campbell Jr. | |
|---|---|
| 17th North Carolina State Auditor | |
|
In office 1993–2005 |
|
| Preceded by | Edward Renfrow |
| Succeeded by | Les Merritt |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Ralph Campbell, Jr. December 7, 1946 Raleigh, North Carolina |
| Died | January 11, 2011 |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Alma mater | St. Augustine's College |
Ralph A. Campbell Jr. (December 7, 1946 – January 11, 2011) was a three-term State Auditor of North Carolina. A Democrat, Campbell was the first African-American to hold statewide elected executive office in North Carolina. His brother, Bill Campbell, is the former mayor of Atlanta.
Ralph Campbell Jr. was born in Raleigh, North Carolina to June Campbell and Ralph Campbell Sr. Both his parents were outspoken community activists. Ralph Campbell Sr. served as the president of the Wake County Chapter of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) and the Raleigh-Wake Citizens Association during the 1960s. Ralph Jr. grew up with two brothers, William (Bill), and Eddie, and one sister, Mildred. All of the children attended Wake County Public Schools. Ralph's brother, William, was the first black student to attend an all-white public school in Raleigh. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell requested that all of their children integrate the schools, but only William was accepted at the time. Members of the board of education at the time said that the best way to do this experiment was to start with the youngest child they could. The Campbell family had to deal with harassment and threats from the local chapter of the KKK.
After graduating from J. W. Ligon High School, Ralph, Jr. attended St. Augustine's College, receiving a degree in business administration. He later took graduate-level business courses at North Carolina Central University.
He served in the United States Army Reserve from 1971 to 1977. From 1977-86, he worked as a field auditor for the North Carolina Department of Revenue, and from 1986-1990 as a plan auditor for the State Health Benefits Office. Campbell also worked in the administration of the North Carolina Department of Insurance.
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