Bishop Frederick C. James, a renowned leader in the AME Church and a South Carolina native, passed away at the age of 102 on April 24. Born on April 7, 1922, in Prosperity, he held various positions within the AME Church throughout his life, including as director of Social Action in 1960 where he had a close relationship with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

In 1972, James was elected as the 93rd bishop in the AME Church and was assigned to Southern Africa. During his time there, he established schools, a publishing house, churches and centers for economic empowerment. He later moved to Arkansas and Oklahoma in 1976 where he focused on youth development and restoring accreditation for Shorter College while also engaging in urban housing initiatives.

Upon returning to South Carolina in 1984, James served as the presiding bishop and chair of the board of trustees at Allen University, his alma mater. He played a key role in helping Allen achieve accreditation and acquire the James Shopping Center. Additionally, he served as an ecumenical officer for the AME Church globally and oversaw the Second Episcopal District.

Bishop Samuel L. Green Sr., who succeeded Bishop James as presiding bishop of Seventh Episcopal District of the AME Church praised him for his prophetic voice, community building efforts and advocacy for education. A celebration of life for Bishop James will be held on April 27 at Bethel AME Church in Columbia with donations being made to the Bishop Frederick C. James Scholarship Fund at Allen University to honor his legacy and contributions to education opportunities for future generations