Sharpe James | |
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![]() James in 1988 | |
Member of the New Jersey Senate from the 29th district | |
In office June 21, 1999 – January 8, 2008 | |
Preceded by | Wynona Lipman |
Succeeded by | Teresa Ruiz |
37th Mayor of Newark | |
In office July 1, 1986 – June 30, 2006 | |
Preceded by | Kenneth A. Gibson |
Succeeded by | Cory Booker |
Personal details | |
Born | Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. | February 20, 1936
Political party | Democratic |
Sharpe James (born February 20, 1936) is an American former 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 is the longest-serving mayor in Newark's history and is a subject of the 2005 feature-film Street Fight depicting the 2002 mayoral election where 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]