Ivan Cecil James, Jr. was born on 23 May 1916, the oldest of three children, to Dr. Ivan C. James, Sr. and Carlotta “Lottie” B. James in Nashville, Tennessee. He had two younger sisters Lottie Louise James (1918- ) and Nellie Ellis (James) Batt (1920- ). The family moved to St. Louis around 1920 when Ivan was four years old. Ivan married Juanita Maude Perkins (1920-2017) on December 9, 1940 in a civil ceremony in St. Charles, Missouri. The couple later had a religious ceremony at St. Elizabeth’s Church on January 29, 1941 in St. Louis and were married for 73 years until Ivan’s death on October 9, 2014. Ivan and Juanita had four children: Juanita Charlotta Barnes; Ivan C. James, III; Marie Beatrice Grandberry; and Edward Charles James.

Ivan attended West Belle School, Sumner High School, Lincoln University, and the Milwaukee School of Engineering. In 1945, he completed radio training in the Engineering, Science, and Management War Training Program in the School of Engineering at Washington University. In late 1945, Ivan spent 4½ months in the U. S. Army before receiving an honorable discharge in December. With his engineering degree, Ivan worked as a stationary engineer at Homer G. Phillips Hospital and in several locations with the St. Louis Housing Authority. Both employers served the African American community which was the only opportunity for Ivan to attain the professional level for which he had trained in segregated St. Louis. He remained with the St. Louis Housing Authority for over 25 years and retired in the early 1980s.

Ivan was active in the community, specifically with the Boys Scouts of America, the YMCA, schools, and churches including Blessed Sacrament Parish. He was raised in the Methodist faith but converted to Catholicism in 1952. He served as a member of the Advisory Board of the Department of Black Studies at Forest Park Community College, on the Desegregation Monitoring and Advisory Committee, and was active with other committees and numerous neighborhood associations. On several occasions, Ivan was recognized for his involvement in the community. An amateur historian, Ivan published The History of Black Catholicism in St. Louis in 1989 (see MHS Library).

Iavan’s father, Dr. Ivan Cecil James, Sr., (1892-1978) was born to Delaware James (1859-1921) and Nellie James (1866-1945) on 29 April 1892 in Russellville, Arkansas. Dr. James had five siblings: Joseph James (1886- ), Henry D. James (1888- ), Willie Cleveland James (1890-1986), Delaware B. James (1904- ), and Mae Blanche James (1905- ). He married Carlotta “Lottie” B. Phillips and later moved to St. Louis where he worked as a dentist in the Mill Creek Valley neighborhood for several decades. Dr. James died on June 13, 1978, and was interred at Washington Park Cemetery.

Carlotta Phillips (1893-1960) was the youngest child of Bishop Charles Henry Phillips (1858-1951) and Lucy Ellis Tappan Phillips (1859-1913). She had four older siblings: Dr. Charles Henry Phillips, Jr. (1882-1939), Dr. Jasper Tappan Phillips (1884-1969), Lady Emma Louise Conway (1886-1956), and Lucy Shaw Stewart (1887-1975). Bishop C. H. Phillips retired in St. Louis. He was a prominent figure in the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church and many churches across the country are named in his honor.

Juanita Maude Perkins was born to Van Edward Perkins (1896-1984) and Sarah Maude Rogers (1896-1985) on July 18, 1920 in Forrest City, Arkansas. Her family moved to St. Louis in 1922, and she attended Cole Elementary School, Sumner High School, and Stowe Teacher’s College. In 1960, she began teaching at Bishop Healy School, where she taught until her retirement in 1987. She was baptized as a Catholic at the age of 12, and she was active at Blessed Sacrament Parish and St. Elizabeth Mother of John the Baptist Parish. Juanita was also active in many community organizations, especially the Jack and Jill Club; the Phyllis Wheatley Branch of the YMCA; Delhaven Nursing Home; and various bridge clubs and sewing groups.

Van Edward Perkins was born in Forrest City, Arkansas to Dan Perkins and Mattie Shepard. Sarah Maude Rogers was born in Lee County, Mississippi to Robert Rogers and Mahalia Hodges. Van and Sarah were married on September 22, 1919 in Tupelo, Mississippi. They had five children: Jaunita; Bernice Beatrice (Perkins) Bordeaux (1922- ); Jessie Marie (Perkins) Anderson (1924- ); Vanetta Jean (Perkins) Cartwright (1935-1997); and Sarah Louise (Perkins) Saunders (1939- ).

Irving Alexander Williamson, Sr. (1908-1991) was born in West Virginia. He earned a degree from Ohio State University School of Journalism in 1933 and worked for newspapers in Ohio, Indiana and Texas before moving to St. Louis in 1941. In St. Louis he worked at the St. Louis Call, the St. Louis Argus, the St. Louis Mirror, and the St. Louis Sentinel. He had a long, distinguished career as a journalist in St. Louis and was extremely active in church, community, and civic affairs, notably serving an appointment on the Missouri State Board of Education. He was also a professional photographer covering social events and community programs. Irving and Elizabeth Williamson had three children: Karen Elizabeth Williamson; Keith H. Williamson; and Irving A. Williamson, Jr.