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White, Rev. Dr. James G. Born to Eternal Life on August 28, 2013. Age: 51. Combined Services: Fri., Sept. 6, 2013. Visitation: 10AM-11AM with Funeral services following at 11AM, at Christian Faith Fellowship C.O.G.I.C., 8605 W. Good Hope Rd. Interment: Graceland Cemetery. Arrangements Entrusted to: Serenity Funeral Home - 414-445-3700
Published in Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on September 4, 2013
Story published in Journal-Sentinel on August 28, 2013
James G. White, executive director of the Harambee Ombudsman Project and a former Milwaukee County supervisor, died Wednesday at his home, the county medical examiner's office said.
A cause of death was not released. White was 51.
He served on the County Board from 1996 to 2008. He served as chairman of the board's transportation committee and was first vice chairman of the board. He survived a recall election in 2003 that was launched in the aftermath of the county pension scandal.
But he lost his 2008 County Board re-election bid after failing to file a ballot petition with enough signatures. He then ran as a write-in candidate.
Later in 2008, White began a stint in Washington, D.C., as associate director of an addiction research programat George Washington University. White then returned to Milwaukee, where he helped revive and headed the Harambee organization.
White also ran unsuccessfully in a three-way Democratic primary for the state Senate in 2004 that was won by Sen. Lena Taylor.
In the 1990s, he was a hip hop recording artist, whose stage name was the Ghetto Priest. He continued to perform, including a rap delivered at a recent Juneteenth celebration, recalled Milwaukee Ald. Milele Coggs.
Coggs said White was a longtime mentor of hers and many others.
"He was a quiet giant," Coggs said. "He has done some extraordinary things with community-based organizations with little fanfare for himself."
One of those projects was founding a group aimed at promoting engineering and technical careers for women and minorities, the Milwaukee Engineering, Planning and Technical Careers Partnership.
White also was deeply involved in alcohol and other drug abuse counseling and programs aimed at curbing substance abuse.
He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and attended the Milwaukee School of Engineering graduate program. He also earned a doctor of divinity degree from Trinity College of the Bible and Theological Seminary, according to White's Facebook page.
Coggs said he was connected with three local churches — Calvary Baptist, Heritage Christian and Christian Faith Fellowship.
White is survived by his wife and two grown daughters.
Funeral arrangements are pending with Serenity Funeral Home.
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