Minister James Ivery-President
About: Mr. James Ivery Mr. Ivery was born in Jefferson county Ga., his mother's name is Miss Elouise Ivery and his Father is the late Mr. Norman Roberts, both of Jefferson county Georgia. James began his freedom fighting and civil rights journey at the early age of 16, starting in St. Petersburg Fl. where he joined a Black Power organization named J.O.M.O. (Junta of militant organization).
On the Eve. of Dr. Martin Luther kings Jr.'s asassination, he was caught and jailed for attempting to burn down a white owned business out of anger of the killing of Dr. King.
At the age of 18 he joined the United States Air Force, while in the Air Force he organized a hand full of Airmans and boycotted the base chow hall, (cafeteria) complaining about the food.
At the age of 20 he was discharged from the Air Force as undesired for a.w.o.l., (absent without leave), at this time he left his discharged base and settled back in Louisville Ga., Jefferson county. A few years later he received a full pardon from the Air Force and his undesirable discharge was upgraded to honorable.
During the year 1970 the Jefferson Co. Chapter S.C.L.C(southern christian leadership conference) was going full speed ahead in Jefferson county and once again the freedom fighting spirit welled up in him, but he was reluctant to join the organization because of it's non-violent practices, but after much thought and coaching from home town friends, namely, Mr.Bobby Adams, Mr. Eugene Washington, Mr. Ronnie Neal and others who was members of the S.C.L.C., and taken under the wings of ,then president, Mr. George W. Boatwright, his ideas of a violent organization quickly changed and he became a non-violent member of the S.C.L.C.
Once a member of the S.C.L.C., he became one of the top leaders in the struggle for justice and equality in Jefferson County Ga.
During the civil rights movement in Jefferson county, on or about the year July 2nd 1973 James and about 17 other freedom fighters were arrested, along with the president, Mr.G.W. Boatwright, they were tear gased, maced, clothes torn, jailed in the county prison and brutely beaten by Ga. State Troopers and the local law enforcement.
Their release from prison came on July 4th 1973, they had been arrested for marching and initiating a selective buying campaign on the white own businesses downtown Louisville Ga. without a permit.
After James's release from prison, like the other freedom fighters of Louisville, he receieved death threats from local law enforcements and the KKK (klu Klux Klan), forcing him to flee back to Florida. While in St. Petersburg Fl. he noticed a white owned business in his neighborhood, a bar in the black community that allowed white only to enter, black folks could be served but only from an outside window.
Again the freedom fighting spirit welled up in him and using the non-violent tactics learned from the S.C.L.C. he organized the community and lead a successful 3 month boycott on the business, forcing the white owned establishment to change it's policies allowing blacks full patrons. For his heroic deeds he received a letter of recognition from the Justice department in Washington D.C..
In 1975 James went to Enterprise Alabama and was ordained an evangelist, he returned to St. Petersburg Fl. where he preached the Gospel for two years.
In 1977 he went to school in St. petersburg Fl. and successfully completed a coarse in respiratory therapy, he praticed as a respiratory therapist in Fla. from 1979-1996 then relocated back to Ga. where he continued to work in his field.
In the year 2003, while living in his home town Jefferson county Ga., and working as a respiratory therapist in a washington county hospital, he was diagnosed with emphysema-a irreversible lung damage.(c.o.p.d) and was declared disabled....
Realizing the seriousness of his illness and disability he moved to Augusta Ga. to be close to the very person he felt loved and cared about him, (his brother), mr. George Dixon Jr.
In the winter of 2007 Mr. Ivery was nominated and elected the president of the Jefferson county chaper of the southern christian leadership conference) a non-violent civil rights organization founded by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Therefore Mr. James Ivery is an unsung hero in the ongoing fight for justice, freedom, and equality for all people regardless of their race, creed, color, or national origin.
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December 25th, 2009 Minister James Ivery received the above award for outstanding Prayer,Courage and Leadership, the award was presented by the Burke County Circuit of the SCLC, Waynesboro, Burke Co. Ga.