James Shields ’00, the former director of Guilford’s Bonner Center was part of the inaugural class of the City of Greensboro’s Everyday Champions of Civil Rights.
James was honored at the city’s 37th annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Breakfast on Jan. 16. The event, hosted by the Greensboro Human Rights Commission, was themed “Everyday Champions: Honoring Local Civil Rights Pioneers.”
“I was very surprised (at the invitation),” says James, “especially living in Greensboro where there are so many heroes.”
James, who now manages the African American Cultural Arts Center in Burlington, is a civil rights educator, historian, and community activist. While leading Guilford’s Bonner Center, he inspired students to become deeply involved in work with Greensboro’s refugee, immigrant, minority, and LGBTQ communities. His anti-racism workshops at the College formed the basis of his continuing consultation work.
He is well-versed in Greensboro's civil rights history and often incorporated the Underground Railroad, Greensboro Massacre, and Beloved Community Center in his instruction. In 2016, James received the Guilford College Alumni Excellence Award.