C.B. Cargile Jr.

CARGILE, C.B. Jr., born May 17, 1926 to C.B. Cargile, Sr. and Emma Raye in Bastrop, La., was destined to make history. After joining the United States Army in 1942, he served in World War II and the Korean War. He earned multiple honors for outstanding and meritorious service before he retired as Chief Warrant Officer in 1965. His military career was just the beginning. As a Supervisor of Employment and Public Accommodations Compliance with New Jersey's Division on Civil Rights, he was fired from the position for exposing racism in that Division. He then caused the division to be overhauled and a Black Director appointed. He then returned to State government as the Supervisor of Code Enforcement in the Department of Community Affairs, a position he left to become the Director of Minority Affairs Division in the State Democratic Committee. The Division was the first of its kind, making the New Jersey State Democratic Committee the first in the nation to create such an agency. In the midst of establishing his political career, C.B. earned his B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey and his M.A. in Public Administration from Rider College. C.B. was the first Black Candidate for Freeholder in Monmouth County, N.J. and the first Black Assistant Dean of Business and Financial Affairs at Ocean County College, which was a first in the County College system in New Jersey. As a lifetime member of the NAACP, C.B. served as president of several chapters in New Jersey and Virginia. He also was a lifetime member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., where he was president of several chapters in New Jersey and Virginia. He was Coordinator of COG, a Coalition of New Jersey's Black Greek Letter Organizations for political purposes, as well as Coordinator of BPAC, Black American Political Action Committee of New Jersey. C.B. moved to Richmond, Va., in 2002. He joined First United Presbyterian Church and quickly became an active member of the congregation and community. He left his mark on Richmond through his relentless efforts to fix the Dill Road railroad crossing. Other areas of interest and charity included the church food pantry, St. Joseph's Villa and the United Negro College Fund. He instilled a sense of pride in many and challenged others to fight what they believed in and what was right. A man who commanded dignity and respect, he had a way of making others want to be better and stand with the same strength and pride that he faced the world with every day. He is survived by his wife, Kessye Dunn; stepdaughters, Donna L. Hamilton-Wallace M.D., Peter, Joy M. White M.D.; grandchildren, Martin A. White II and Jacquelynne M. White; niece, Chris Nelson; nephew, Dean Doyle; sister-in-law, Mary D. Morton (Stewart); brothers-in-law, John (Louise), Earl (Marian), William (Rosita), Harry (Joyce) and a host of family and friends.
This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.