James C. Fields Jr. is an American civil servant and minister in the

United Methodist Church The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a worldwide mainline Protestant Christian denomination, denomination based in the United States, and a major part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was ...

who served in the

Alabama House of Representatives The Alabama House of Representatives is the lower house of the Alabama Legislature, the state legislature (United States), state legislature of state of Alabama. The House is composed of 105 members representing an equal number of districts, with ...

from 2008 until 2010. A native of

Colony, Alabama Colony is a town in Cullman County, Alabama, Cullman County, Alabama, United States. At the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census the population was 268, down from 385 in 2000. Colony is a historically African-American town. In its early days it ...

, Fields was the first African American to be a candidate for elective office in

Cullman County, Alabama Cullman County is a county located in the north central portion of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census, the population was 87,866. Its county seat and largest city is Cullman. Its name is in honor of Colonel John G. Cullmann. ...

, which is predominantly white.

Early life and education

James Fields grew up on his family's small farm in Colony. After graduating from Hanceville High School, he attended

Jacksonville State University Jacksonville State University (JSU or Jax State) is a public university in Jacksonville, Alabama, United States. Founded in 1883, Jacksonville State offers programs of study in six academic schools leading to bachelor's degree, bachelor's, mas ...

, where he obtained a bachelor's degree in law enforcement.

Military service

Subsequently, he served in the

U.S. Marines The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionary ...

, attending officer training at the Marine Corps Academy in

Quantico, Virginia Quantico (; formerly Potomac) is a town in southeastern Prince William County, Virginia, United States. The population was 578 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. Quantico is approximately 35 miles southwest of Washington, D.C., bound ...

, and leaving with an honorable discharge.

Alabama House of Representatives

James Fields was elected as a Democratic member of the

in a

special election A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, or a bypoll in India, is an election used to fill an office that has become vacant between general elections. A vacancy may arise as a result of an incumben ...

on January 29, 2008. He was defeated for reelection in 2010 by fellow Methodist minister Mac Buttram.

Personal life

James Fields and his wife Yvette have seven children and 13 grandchildren. James Fields has worked for the Alabama Department of Industrial Relations for nearly three decades and is a minister at St. James United Methodist Church in

Irondale, Alabama Irondale is a city in Jefferson County, Alabama, United States. It is a suburb of Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West ...

Elections

In November 2013, James Fields announced that he would be a candidate for

Lieutenant Governor of Alabama The lieutenant governor of Alabama is the president of the Alabama Senate, elected to serve a four-year term. The office was created in 1868,1868 Const. art. V, § 1 abolished in 1875,1875 Const. art. V, § 1 and recreated in 1901.AL Const. art. ...

in the

2014 elections * 2014 United Nations Security Council election 16 October 2014 Africa * 2014 Algerian presidential election 17 April 2014 * 2014 Botswana general election 24 October 2014 * 2014 Comorian presidential election 21 February and 10 April 2014 * 2014 ...

. He ran in the Democratic primary uncontested and was defeated by incumbent Republican Lieutenant Governor

Kay Ivey Kay Ellen Ivey ( ; born October 15, 1944) is an American politician who is the 54th governor of Alabama, serving since 2017. A Republican since 2002, Ivey was the 38th Alabama state treasurer from 2003 to 2011 and the 30th lieutenant governor o ...

in the general election.

Electoral history

References

External links

Fields for Lieutenant Governor
African-American Methodist clergy American Methodist clergy American civil servants Living people United States Marines Democratic Party members of the Alabama House of Representatives People from Cullman County, Alabama Year of birth missing (living people) People from Hanceville, Alabama People from Irondale, Alabama American United Methodist clergy African-American state legislators in Alabama 21st-century African-American politicians 21st-century members of the Alabama Legislature Jacksonville State University alumni {{Alabama-politician-stub