James Everett Chase

Who was James Everett Chase?

James Everett Chase was an American politician. He was elected mayor of Spokane, Washington by a landslide 62 percent to 38 percent margin in 1981, becoming Spokane's first African American mayor. Prior to his election as mayor, Chase was a longtime city council member, a seat which he won in 1975, becoming the second African American city council member in Spokane's history, after D. K. Oliver, who served on the council in 1896 and 1897. Chase is famed for the Chase Youth Commission, a group advocating youth issues within Spokane, including the Chase Youth Awards and the Chase Youth issues forum. The youth commission is considered as a city commission and allows 8 adults and 7 youth to join every year. Chase Middle School in Spokane is named after him.