About Us

On behalf of the NAACP Coatesville Area Branch 2257, I welcome you to our 56th Freedom Fund Banquet and I thank you for sharing your evening with us. Rev. Dr. James Simmons is a native of Silverdale, North Carolina and a 40+
years resident of the Coatesville community. He is and has been for several years a life member of the NAACP. He is personally committed to the mission of the NAACP which is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equal­ity of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination. He is the son of a sharecropper and due to this humble beginning, he has learned the bene­fit of perseverance, education, and hard work. These attributes have allowed him to advance in his military career and retire after 27 years of service as a Lt. Comel; be employed at the VA Medical Center for over 34 years and retire as a journeyman level clinical social worker and to serve for 12 years as the full­time Pastor of Mt Tabor AME Zion Church, Avondale PA. He believes when preparation connects with opportunity and the grace of God, all things are possi­ble.
Education

Dr. Simmons is a 1967 graduate of Onslow County Public High School. He be­lieves public education affords all equal access to a quality education. He gradu­ated in 1971 from Fayetteville State University with a Bachelor's degree in His­tory and Political Science and taught History in the Onslow County Public Schools. He attended the University of Illinois and graduated in 1974 with a Masters in Social Work and was subsequently employed at the VA Medical Cen­ter, Coatesville, PA. While an active member of the US Army Reserve, he at­tended the Academy of Health Science and graduated in 1986 with a Master'sDegree in Health Science Administration. Responding to a higher calling inministry, he attended Lutheran Theological Seminary and earned a Master in Di­vinity in 1998 and a Doctorate in Ministry from Covington Theological Seminary in 2002.