Willie Mims, renowned Pittsburg civil right activist passes away aged 79

Willie James Mims
Willie James Mims

Willie Mims, a well-known civil rights activist and community leader passed away on Friday, 22nd May 2024, leaving the Pittsburg community and followers in deep sorrow. Read on to learn more about his death.

Willie James Mims Passed away

According to reports, Community activist Willie Mims died peacefully on May 22, 2024. He is easily recognised in East Contra Costa because of the short, brimless African kufi hat he wears, but it is his voice, not his outfit, that has won him a reputation among local officials and leaders.

About Willie Mims

Willie James Mims was born to Edward and Lillie Mims on November 30, 1944, in McCaul, Louisiana. He was one of nine children and had lived in California since the age of two.

Mims spent his childhood in Bay Point before relocating to Pittsburg, where he met his future wife, Darlene Mims, with whom he has been married for nearly 50 years. During the 1960s, he was employed at the Concord Naval Weapons Station, and in the 1970s, he obtained a Master’s degree in English from San Francisco State.

Willie Mim’s Career

In the 1980s, Mims began his stint at John Kinney High School, a continuation school in Vallejo, where he taught students about respect, self-empowerment, and punctuality. He worked as an English teacher for more than 25 years.

Mims began his political career in 1963 by participating in the campaign for the Rumford Fair Housing Act, which aimed to eliminate racial discrimination by landlords.

Mims and community activist Darnell Turner helped establish the East County NAACP and Pittsburg’s Black Political Association. In 2013, he collaborated with Antioch schools to eliminate achievement gaps between black students and their peers. He has also been a prominent opponent of the WesPac crude oil project in Pittsburg and has urged all East Contra Costa school districts to enhance their special education programs.

Willie’s primary aim was to educate, motivate, and support his community. He leaves behind a legacy of love, compassion, and service that will continue to inspire everyone who had the privilege of knowing him. Willie James Mims will be greatly missed by his family, friends, and the community.

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