Sharpe James

Sharpe James
Official portrait, 1987
Member of the New Jersey Senate
from the 29th district
In office
June 21, 1999 – January 8, 2008
Preceded byWynona Lipman
Succeeded byTeresa Ruiz
37th Mayor of Newark
In office
July 1, 1986 – June 30, 2006
Preceded byKenneth A. Gibson
Succeeded byCory Booker
Personal details
Born(1936-02-20)February 20, 1936
Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.
DiedMay 11, 2025(2025-05-11) (aged 89)
West Orange, New Jersey, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseMary Mattison
Children3
Alma mater

Sharpe James (February 20, 1936 – May 11, 2025) was an American politician from New Jersey. A Democrat, he served as the 37th mayor of Newark from 1986 to 2006 and as a state senator for the 29th legislative district from 1999 to 2008. He was the longest-serving mayor in Newark's history and is a subject of the 2005 feature-film Street Fight, which depicts Newark's 2002 mayoral election in which James faced a closer-than-expected challenge from Cory Booker. Once a popular figure in New Jersey politics, his career effectively ended after he was convicted of high-profile corruption charges in 2008.[1][2]

  1. ^ Martin, John (July 29, 2008), "Ex-Newark Mayor Sharpe James sentenced to 27 months", The Star-Ledger, retrieved March 25, 2013
  2. ^ Pizarro, Max (March 3, 2022). "Newark Clerk Denies Certification of Former Mayor Sharpe James". InsiderNJ.

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