Wharton to speak at NAACP Freedom Fund banquet

Friday, July 3, 2009

Wharton

Local residents attending the 14th annual Dyersburg/Dyer County NAACP Freedom Fund banquet at the Lannom Center, on Saturday, Aug. 8, will be treated to words of wisdom from guest speaker Shelby County Mayor A.C. Wharton Jr. A reception will be held from 6 p.m. until 7 p.m. in the lobby, with dinner seated at 7 p.m.

Wharton made history as the first African American mayor of Shelby County and has served as mayor of the largest county in the state since August 2002. A native of Lebanon, Tenn., he is a graduate of both the Tennessee State University and the University of Mississippi, where he earned a bachelor's degree in political science and a law degree, respectively.

In his career, he has served as Shelby County's Chief Public Defender, investigator for the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission in Washington, D.C., an attorney for the Lawyer's Committee for Civil Rights under Law and a partner in his family's firm, Wharton and Wharton and Associates.

He has also maintained a position as an adjunct professor of Law at the University of Mississippi for over 25 years, where he earned the attention of a student who later became best-selling author John Grisham. Wharton later appeared as the "Geezer Law Professor" in Grisham's book, "The Rainmaker".

His tenure as Shelby County Mayor has included sweeping ethics reform, efficiency studies, strategic planning and a boost in economic development. His Needs Assessment Committee brought openness, close scrutiny and savings to the county's capital expenditures on public education, which had exceeded its $360 million budget. He also improved the management of Shelby County's Head Start program.

His advice has been sought by the United States Congress, the New York City government, the Brookings Institute and regionally throughout the Mid-South.

Wharton and his wife, Ruby, live in Memphis, where they have raised six sons.

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Why can't isn't there be a NAAWP? National Association of the Advancement of White People? They are losing jobs and needing help.

-- Posted by CitizenTn on Sun, Jul 5, 2009, at 10:04 AM