Dr. James E. Roberson, Sr.

OBITUARY

James Earnest Roberson, Sr. was born on June 14, 1943 in Birmingham, Alabama to the late Mack Earnest and Aressa Craig Roberson. Roberson was a longtime resident of Homewood, Alabama for over 48 years.

He was raised in the Collegeville community of North Birmingham where he was baptized at the historic Bethel Baptist Church. His family literally lived across the street from a church where he was active and engaged daily in worship led by Civil Rights leader Dr. Fred Shuttlesworth. As a child, he enjoyed playing with his siblings and other children in the neighborhood. Roberson had an entrepreneurial spirit at a young age throwing newspapers, shining shoes and mowing lawns with his father. He attended Hudson Elementary then matriculated to A.H. Parker High School where he graduated at the age of 16 years old in 1960. He received his Bachelor’s degree in education from Alabama A&M University in 1964; his M.A. degree in educational leadership in 1986 from UAB; and his J.D. degree from Faith College in Alabama. Having witnessed and participated in the struggle of the 1950s and 1960s, Roberson was a leader on “The Hill” at Alabama A&M University where he led demonstrations and was a political broker. He spearheaded sit-ins to desegregate Shoney’s Big Boy restaurants and S.S. Kresge Company lunch counter in Huntsville, AL.

After college, For nearly thirty years, Roberson worked as an educator and administrator in the Jefferson County School System. He taught at A.G. Gaston Junior High School and Leeds Junior High School where he taught physical science and biology. He later accepted a new position as the Assistant Principal of E.B. Erwin High School then returned to Leeds Junior High School as the Principal retiring in 1991. After the bell rang at the end of a school day for 27 years Roberson traveled to Brownell Pontiac to earn an additional income to support his family.

Breaking barriers in the automobile industry, Roberson was one of the first African American Car Salesmen in Birmingham at Brownell Pontiac. Years later he worked at Ernest McCarty Ford and he flourished in his training attending the Ford Motor Company Minority Dealers Program and was offered dealership ownership across the country.

First of All, Servants of All, We Shall Transcend All. Roberson believed in civic leadership and making a difference in the community in which he lived. Roberson holds memberships and leadership positions in various organizations including Deacon at Sixth Avenue Baptist Church, served multiple terms on the Homewood Park and Recreation Board, Alabama Education Retirees Association, Inc., Lifetime Member of the Alabama A&M University Alumni Association, the Alabama Forest Owners’ Association, Inc., 100 Black Men of Birmingham, Life Member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. for 60 years, the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the History Makers, the Southern Poverty Law Center, the March of Dimes and Grace House Ministries. Under Roberson’s leadership as President, he played an intricate part in establishing “The Parthenon,” the Fraternity House for Omicron Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated which is now located downtown Birmingham. Roberson aka “Pharaoh” spent many days and nights hosting and coordinating social events for citizens in the Birmingham community.

He was preceded in death by his beloved parents, Mack E. Roberson and Aressa C. Roberson; sister, Bernita R. Sawyer.

In July 1972, James married Linda Carroll Thompson. This romance lasted for fifty years, when they celebrated their marriage on July 15, 2022.

Those to treasure his legacy include his wife, Linda T. Roberson; three children; James E. Roberson, Jr. (Niva), Shayla Roberson Aguillard (Travis), and Jemia Roberson Storey (Adrian); one brother, Lawrence R. Roberson; one brother-in-law, Melvin Sawyer, Sr.; three aunts, Larraine King, Mae Gladys Mealy (Lawrence) and Ellen Craig. “Big Dad” to eleven grandchildren; Lia Brooke Roberson, Cadet James “Tre” Earnest Roberson, III, USAFA, Tyson Jamelle Aguillard, Aiden Connor Storey, Ava Camille Roberson, Thompson James Aguillard, Talon Jacob Aguillard, Hampton Lee Storey, Lola James Storey, Langstyn Jaye Storey and Ellington Carroll Storey. Left to mourn this tremendous loss are a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.