By Chris Murphy
Margaret James
Modesto has so many wonderful people, so many wonderful cultures and best of all, so many great stories. That is really what makes us special. People really get involved and want to be a part of our community here. What we really need to so is make sure that our communities within our communities connect as well. That’s what makes it exciting and interesting.
I have been fortunate to work with and collaborate with so many interesting and accomplished people in the various roles that I play. The City of Modesto has some truly dedicated people that always find ways to be creative in their governmental positions, that operate like the business community and care about the people that they are serving and try to make them successful.
Margaret James is one of those people. She retired in 2021 as Senior Business Analyst for economic development. I found Margaret to be an innovative and intuitive economic developer who was knowledgeable, believed in teamwork, worked to connect new businesses and was passionate about finding ways to grow Modesto and make the business community more successful. Along the way, I discovered so much more about her. Margaret is not your everyday bureaucrat, but a super interesting person with a history that is amazing and I find it crazy that she landed here. She has moved on to her next chapter in life serving the community as the newly elected 2nd VP of the Modesto/Stanislaus NAACP. But wait, there’s more.
Margaret James grew up in a racially divided south, and made her way here via Greyhound bus to Oakland with her mom and her sisters to make a new life. She and her late husband Troyce Key owned the legendary Eli’s Mile High Club in Oakland. Troyce was a Rockabilly guitar player from Fresno on Warner Bros Records, dated Connie Stevens back in the day and was on American Bandstand. His band was the house band at the blues club and Margaret was the manager, booked bands and even served as hostess to the economically and racially diverse customers. The club won the WC Handy Award in Memphis (now Blues Music Awards) for Best Blues Club in the country in ‘88 / ’89. And, Eli’s even hosted Comedy Nights for comics/actors who were beginning their careers in the Bay Area like Whoopi Goldberg and Bobcat Goldthwait. Margaret is honored to be included in the Troyce Key catalog at the Oakland African American Museum noting his and Eli’s contributions to Oakland’s music history.
Wow. So how did Margaret find Modesto? How did she get into economic development and what makes her want to continue to serve her community. And, what can we do to have our own Eli’s Mile High Club here? (personal wish) So let’s meet Margaret.
ModestoView: So key question, how did you land in Modesto?
Margaret James: Divorce. I was in transition and looking for a family oriented, smaller community to raise my young sons, Jared and Kyle. My sister Connie and her family had moved to Modesto a couple of years prior and I often visited them here. After a few visits experiencing different community events and reading about public school options, I decided to purchase a home in the Sylvan School District.
MV: You had a brave mom that would pack up her kids and go cross country to Oakland to find a better life; how did that shape who you are?
MJ: My father decided to return to our hometown of Mobile, Alabama after working in Oakland for a while. My mother, Bessie McCants, then made the tough decision to join her mother and sister in Oakland where she felt her 3 daughters would not be subjected to the blatant racial discrimination she and other minorities experienced in Mobile at the time. Ironically, I still recall the Greyhound stop in Santa Fe where my mom had to rush us 3 kids back onto the bus when 4 white teenagers began throwing rocks at us and calling us names. Though traumatic at the time, this and similar experiences later served to help me understand that the actions of a few do not necessarily represent a group of people; to view the individual. I was an introverted youth, but being raised by my mother and grandmother instilled the fortitude to not only persevere through life’s challenges, but to try and rise above them and shine.
MV: I always found you to be ahead of the curve of issues in the city, what was your drive in Economic Development that lead you to champion local business?
MJ: Because I was a former business owner, I understand how challenging and sometimes overwhelming business requirements and bureaucratic processes can appear to a business owner. In my former economic development role, I listened to business concerns, collaborated with great colleagues in various government agencies, provided clarification and communicated the intent to serve and advocate for businesses. I wanted every business, corporate or small, to know that their concerns mattered.
MV: What do you think the obstacles are for Modesto in becoming a truly great and vibrant and multi-cultural city?
MJ: By definition, to be vibrant is to be full of life, energy, enthusiasm and activity. I’m not a planner, but people are attracted to places that make them feel safe and welcome. Modesto is fortunate to have some good neighborhood parks, great community events like the Graffiti Parade, Mod Shop & the world-class Gallo Center for the Arts. However, I do think we can do more to celebrate the diversity of our communities. Our NAACP Modesto/Stanislaus branch hopes to create a cultural center open to everyone which celebrates African American culture and offers opportunities for cultural exchanges. Our Freedom Fund Banquet & Community Service Awards event on March 11 at the Modesto Centre Plaza will recognize individuals and organizations that have made significant impacts toward advancing educational, health, civil rights and community development opportunities in our area.
MV: If you could erase some common stereotypes, what would those be?
MJ: Unfortunately, there are still too many generalizations about people that lead to intentional or unintentional discrimination. I believe it’s important not to have preconceived ideas about a person – be it cultural, racial, gender, religious or age-related. Ideally, I hope we will all strive to be flexible and receptive to new information and respectful of different cultures.
MV: What do you see the key issues facing the NAACP as we move in to the next few years?
MJ: Connectivity, affordable housing, and good living wages. The NAACP will continue to be committed to advancing policies and practices that promote equity, political rights, economic and educational opportunities, and expand human and civil rights for all people; especially African Americans and other marginalized groups.
MV: What can do as a group to make sure we are inviting and collaborating with the various groups in town in a meaningful and creative way?
MJ: As our community continues to grow, and with changing demographics, I believe that there are multiple opportunities to create positive safe spaces and relationships with each other that will improve the quality of life for all. Community involvement and collaboration are necessary to make a meaningful impact. The NAACP is interested in building bridges of understanding and community partnerships that will serve the greater good.
MV: What did you learn when you were managing the Eli’s Mile High that still serves you well today?
MJ: I was fortunate to meet people from very diverse backgrounds. Famous musicians like poet laureate of the blues Percy Mayfield, Lowell Fulson, James Brown, Etta James, and blues fans from Japan, France Germany and other countries as well as all over the USA. Through talking, laughing and enjoying music with them, I learned that though we may have different cultural backgrounds or life experiences, we all share the basic human desires of trusting relationships, companionship and respect.
MV: Describe you and your husband Harrison’s ideal Modesto day.
MJ: We both love attending live theater; especially musicals and plays. We recently enjoyed Dionne Warwick at the Gallo Center and are looking forward to seeing Patti LaBelle. An ideal date would be enjoying a leisurely dinner at one of our local restaurants before attending a show at the Gallo Center or State Theatre.
MV: I gotta ask, Beatles or Stones?
MJ: Have to go with the Stones. Harrison and his late best friend attended at least 10 Stones concerts and he has all of their LPs among his 5,000+ vinyl collection.
