As the son and namesake of James R. Mapp, I was very touched by the many expressions of sympathy and memories extended to our family by individuals and organizations throughout the Chattanooga community after he quietly passed at home surrounded by family on "Juneteenth" (June 19).
I would like to acknowledge thanks on behalf of our family for your ongoing kindness, to share some of Daddy's final thoughts and to offer a pathway to continue the important work to which my father committed his life.
Jon MappRead more
Chattanooga's James Mapp, civil rights leader for all, has died
At home, James R. Mapp was simply James, Daddy, or Granddaddy. But we also understood his public persona as Mr. Mapp, leader, statesman, and person of conscience for Chattanooga and beyond. We knew this by the way he carried himself as president of the NAACP and the respect he garnered even from those with whom he may have disagreed. Through his activism and belief in the basic good of people, he consistently demonstrated that the day does in fact belong to decent-minded people who come together for the broader good of all.
Although he was not aware of the nine senseless murders at Emanuel AME Church in South Carolina that occurred a day before he passed, we recognize the acts of decent-minded people who expressed forgiveness in the face of such tragic loss as a meaningful sequel to his life. It was the same decent-mindedness that brought South Carolina legislators together to place the symbol of heritage for some and oppression for others in its proper place for the broader good of all.
These selfless acts speak to the basic decency of people that Mr. Mapp never lost sight of and always trusted would prevail.
During his long life, he witnessed the breathtaking evolution of a society that tolerated the routine lynching of Negroes; the separate-but-equal thinking that was the order of the day for many decades; the Supreme Court desegregation of schools and the Great Society legislation combating job, voting and housing discrimination; to today's chants of "Black Lives Matter" by black and white citizens governed by a black president. Despite the historical inequities and ongoing disparities, he believed in and embodied a decency that must be perpetuated, especially by those in leadership positions.
My last conversation with Daddy occurred June 12 around 6:30 a.m. On that sunny morning, he woke up and said to me and his wife, Miss Bettye, that "I met the challenge." I'm sure that he knew he was in his final days, and he seemed to find solace in knowing that he had done his best.
He never spoke to me in full sentences again, but in those quiet, solitary moments between a father and son, I promised him that I would make sure that people understood what he stood for.
As citizens of Chattanooga recover from the tragic loss of five service members and pray for the recovery of the heroic police officer, the sight of diverse multitudes of people gathered at the corner of Bailey and Holzclaw avenues under a huge American flag across from the Chattanooga National Cemetery further reminds us how decent-mindedness has the ability to overcome even the most horrific acts that we might inflict upon each other.
So now, it is imperative that we partner with decent-minded people in Chattanooga and beyond to perpetuate the legacy of James R. Mapp and the countless other decent-minded people who have given so much to make this country much better than they found it. Whether those decent-minded voices are those of old friends, church members, NAACP members, elected officials, educational institutions, family, neighbors, friends, strangers, black or white, we must be open to sharing the legacy of decent-mindedness in ways that will further educate and influence future generations to do the right things for the broader good of our communities.
To that end, JamesRMapp.org has been established as the official point of contact for individuals and organizations interested in the life James R. Mapp and perpetuating the legacy of decent-mindedness.
On behalf of the entire Mapp family, thanks again to all of Chattanooga for your loving embrace during our time of loss.
Jon Mapp, the son of civil rights activist James R. Mapp, has spent his career working in human resource management and development. He is a 1970 graduate of Brainerd High School and a 1975 graduate of University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He lives in Louisville, Ky.