By Kendra Bryant
Special to the AFRO
Loved ones and colleagues honored the life and legacy of journalist James L. Wright Jr on Dec. 19 at the Hemingway Memorial AME Church in District Heights, Md. Wright Jr. served as a staff writer for the Washington Informer at the time of his death. Prior to that role he was a writer and editor for AFRO News and The Washington Post.
“I wish that we could be honoring James on better pretenses,” said Denise Barnes, publisher and owner of The Washington Informer. “He had such a wonderful impact on Black Press during his time with the Informer and even the AFRO.”
Micha Green, Washington Informer managing editor, reflected on what it was like to work with Wright.
“James was always one of the first people to join our staff meeting throughout the week,” said Green. “He’d often be the first person I saw when I was attending an event that he was also covering. I could always count on him to know just the right person or the source.”
Wright received resolutions from many political and religious leaders, including D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser.
“James L. Wright Jr. was a kind and gentle person and a fantastic reporter,” said Bowser. “I knew him from my earliest days in government as a strong, fair, and honest writer who cared deeply about his city. Most of all, he loved Washingtonians and telling the stories of the least, the lost, and the left out. His connection to his readers was unparalleled.”
Wright, 62, died on Dec. 2 of natural causes. Senior pastor Krishnan Natesan of Hemingway Memorial AME Church officiated the service. The service featured musical selections, eulogy reading, and opening ceremony by the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Mu Lambda, Omicron Lambda Alpha, and Omicron Eta Lambda Chapter.
“He was generous with his time,” said Jeff Ballou, ABC News producer and member of the Wright’s beloved Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Omicron Lambda Alpha Chapter. “This is a man who absolutely was dedicated in his bones to the upholding of Black holding. And doing so, he made sure that not only the Black community is well informed, but the larger community as well. He did so with grace, with tenacity, and with a sense of purpose.”
Wright was known for his contributions to the official magazine of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., The Sphinx.
(AFRO Photo / Kendra Bryant)
“I have to admit, I’m not surprised at the outpouring of love and support for James,” said Austin Cooper Jr., Washington Informer political columnist and member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Mu Lambda Chapter.. “I think James would be genuinely surprised at how many lives he’s touched through his writing. We’re really going to miss him and his hearty laugh.”
Wright was an Austin, Texas. native and a graduate of Prairie View A&M University with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management.
After moving to Washington, D.C., he became a member of the Seat Pleasant City Council in 2022-2204 and later vice president.
The sermon entitled, “The Prophet and the Pen” was given by Asbury United Methodist Church pastor, Rev., Dr. Ronald Bell, II. He preached the story of Aaron and Moses while reflecting on James’s helping hand to others through his life.
“He’s been my Aaron. Without Aaron, there would be no Moses,” said Rev. Bell II. “I learned so much from his true relationship with Jesus Christ.”
Wright served as a historian at Asbury Church. He treated the library as his own and valued the role.
“James is in heaven interviewing the Apostles and asking questions to Jesus,” said Rev. Bell II. “He honored his sources. He protected the truth and took care of others’ voices.”
His legacy lives on through his mother, Helen Porter Wright, sister, Janet Wright Fields, brother in law, Michael Sardinea Fields, niece Sheraton Fields, as well as uncles, aunts, cousins and colleagues.