Rosetta James

Biography

James moved to Huntsville, Ala. in 1973, after living in Long Island, N.Y., for 27 years. A native of Akron, Ala., in Hale County, James grew up in Alabama’s Black Belt.

She first worked part-time for the Madison County Extension Office while supporting her late husband, McKinley James. Her work in landscaping afforded her the opportunity to meet many people in the Huntsville-Madison County vicinity. James became involved in local civic, educational, religious, and political activities and causes. Her efforts led to her being included on various boards and committees.

James works with children, the elderly, and the incarcerated as a lay minister to female jail inmates. She is a member of First Missionary Baptist Church, and has received over 50 honors, awards, and commendations from organizations and agencies, including Alabama A&M University and the NAACP.

James is a suffrage advocate, having registered thousands of local voters in registration drives. The Madison County Chapter of the Alabama Democratic Conference renamed its annual breakfast “The Rosetta James Membership Breakfast” for her efforts.

As a Court-Appointed Juvenile Advocate (CAJA), James has worked with abused and neglected children in the juvenile court system. She has obtained tuition assistance for promising at-risk students.

Foundation

The Rosetta James Foundation (www.rosettajamesfoundation.org) is a non-profit organization. The annual ‘Rosetta James Honoring Our Elders’ celebration honors local citizens who are at least 70 years old and still active area volunteers. Foundation resources provide scholarships annually to local college students who are involved in the community as volunteers. An endowed scholarship in the amount of $10,000 was presented to Alabama A&M University in March 2007 from the Foundation, which currently awards 11 merit scholarships each year.

Affiliations