James W. Holley III was the first African American mayor of his hometown, Portsmouth, Virginia. He was born in Portsmouth on November 26, 1926. His parents were Laura and James W. Holley, Jr. James Holley attended local schools in Portsmouth and graduated from I. C. Norcom High School in 1944. After high school he joined the U.S. Army.
After completing his tour of duty at the war’s end, Holley attended West Virginia State College (now University) and earned a bachelor’s degree in science in 1949. He then attended the Howard University School of Dentistry in Washington, D.C., graduating in 1955. West Virginia State College (now University) later awarded him an honorary Doctor of Laws degree.
After receiving his dental surgery degree from Howard University, James Holley returned to Portsmouth and embarked on a career in dentistry in his hometown that was marked by skill and dedication to his patients. He also became active in the local civil rights movement. In 1961 he was refused service in the white public library. This incident spurred his commitment to civil rights and demands for desegregation in his community and across the state of Virginia. As a result of his activism the white and black libraries in Portsmouth were combined and desegregated in the 1960s. He also became active in efforts that led to the desegregation of restaurants, hospitals, and recreational facilities in Portsmouth.
In 1968 Holley was elected to the Portsmouth City Council becoming the first African American member of that body. He served on the city council until 1984. Between 1978 and 1980 he served as vice-mayor of the city. In July, 1984 he became the first African American mayor of Portsmouth. He served in that capacity until December, 1987. His term was abruptly ended when he was recalled from office by city voters.
In 1996 James W. Holley was elected again to the office of mayor and served until 2010. During his second term he was accused of mistreating subordinates and the city council asked him to retire as mayor. He refused. A successful recall election ensued and he was forced to leave office a second time. Despite the two recalls, Holley holds the distinction of being the longest serving major of Portsmouth.
The recall votes notwithstanding, Holley was well liked and respected by many in the Portsmouth community, earning the moniker “Mr. Portsmouth” from friends in family. He fondly referred to his community as his “Portsmouth family.”
Holley was a member and leader of numerous professional dental organizations and received an array of awards over the course of his career including several Dentist of the Year recognitions. Holley practiced dentistry in Portsmouth for fifty years. Known for his stylish dress, Holly appeared in the September 2007 issue of Esquire magazine in a feature chronicling U.S. mayors. Holley once remarked, “Change of clothes is what makes you an individual if you wear a blue suit everyday you can’t be happy. You’ll be blue.”
Holley and his wife had four children: James IV, Robin, Omar and Cheryl. Holley died October 5, 2012 in Portsmouth at the age of 85. His death was the result of a stroke.
Do you find this information helpful? A small donation would help us keep this available to all. Forego a bottle of soda and donate its cost to us for the information you just learned, and feel good about helping to make it available to everyone.
BlackPast.org is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and our EIN is 26-1625373. Your donation is fully tax-deductible.
“Former Portsmouth Mayor James Holley Dead at 85”, https://www.13newsnow.com/article/news/former-portsmouth-mayor-james-holley-dead-at-age-85/291-374241651; “James W. Holley Obituary”, https://www.pilotonline.com/obituaries/james-w-holley-portsmouth-va/; “Joint Senate Resolution Celebrating the Life of James W. Holley”, https://legacylis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?131+ful+SJ284+pdf.
