Background
Chase, James E. was born on March 29, 1914 in Ballinger, Texas, United States.
Chase, James E. was born on March 29, 1914 in Ballinger, Texas, United States.
Student, Spokane Community College.
He was elected mayor of Spokane, Washington by a landslide 62 percent to 38 percent margin in 1981, becoming Spokane's first African American mayor. Chase is famed for the Chase Youth Commission, a group advocating youth issues within Spokane, including the Chase Youth Awards and the Chase Youth issues forum. The youth commission is considered as a city commission and allows 8 adults and 7 youth to join every year.
Chase Middle School in Spokane is named after him. Note: Daniel K. Oliver was erroneously cited in the 1979 history of the Black presence in Spokane, funded by the NAACP, as being the city's first black councilman in 1896-1897. This error has since been corrected and reported to the Washington State Historical Society.
Past president National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Spokane. Developer, sponsor Youth Activities Center. Member of National League Cites, Municipal League Association Washington Cities, Zoological Society (president), Spokane (Washington) Chamber of Commerce, Young, Masons, Rotary.
Married Eleanor E. Barrow, April 10, 1942. 1 child Roland James.