Ralph Campbell Jr.

Ralph A. Campbell Jr. (December 7, 1946 – January 11, 2011) was an American politician who served as the 15th Auditor of North Carolina from 1993 to 2005. A Democrat, Campbell was the first African-American to hold statewide elected executive office in North Carolina.

Ralph Campbell Jr.
15th Auditor of North Carolina
In office
1993–2005
Preceded byEdward Renfrow
Succeeded byLeslie W. Merritt Jr.
Personal details
Born(1946-12-07)December 7, 1946
Raleigh, North Carolina
DiedJanuary 11, 2011(2011-01-11) (aged 64)
Political partyDemocratic
Alma materSt. Augustine's College

Early life

Ralph Campbell Jr. was born on December 7, 1946 in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States to Ralph Campbell Sr. and June Kay Campbell.[1] Both of his parents were outspoken community activists. Ralph Campbell Sr. served as the president of the Wake County Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Raleigh-Wake Citizens Association during the 1960s.[2] Ralph Jr. grew up with two brothers, William (Bill), and Eddie, and one sister, Mildred. All of the children attended Wake County Public Schools.[3] Ralph's brother, William, was the first black student to attend an all-white public school in Raleigh. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell requested that all of their children integrate the schools, but only William was accepted at the time. Members of the board of education at the time said that the best way to do this experiment was to start with the youngest child they could. The Campbell family had to deal with harassment and threats from the local chapter of the KKK.

After graduating from J. W. Ligon High School in 1964,[1] Campbell attended St. Augustine's College, receiving a degree in business administration. He later took graduate-level business courses at North Carolina Central University.[4]

Military and public sector career

Campbell served in the United States Army Reserve from 1971 to 1977.[1] From 1977 to 1986, he worked as a field auditor for the North Carolina Department of Revenue, and from 1986 to 1990 as a plan auditor for the State Health Benefits Office. In 1990 Campbell took a job in the administrative office of the North Carolina Department of Insurance,[5] holding it until 1992.[1]

Political career

Raleigh City Council

Campbell was first elected to the Raleigh City Council in 1985 and was re-elected in 1987, 1989, and 1991. He chaired the Law and Finance Committee and Intergovernmental Committee from 1985 to 1989 and served as mayor pro tempore in his final term from 1989 to 1991.[5]

State Auditor of North Carolina

As State Auditor Campbell equipped office staff with desktop computers and field auditors with laptop computers.[6] In June 2004 he was elected president of the National State Auditors Association.[7]

Ralph Campbell would be elected two more times with close margins. He won in 1996 by only 2.34%, defeating three challengers: Jack Daly (Republican), Robert J. Dorsey (Libertarian), and Theordore Janokowski (Natural Law).[8] He would win his third term in 2000 with only 30,000 more votes than his challenger, Leslie Merritt.[9] In the 2004 election the North Carolina Republican Party attacked Campbell's connections to his brother Bill, who had been indicted in federal court for corruption charges.[7] On November 2, 2004, Campbell lost his bid for a fourth term for State Auditor, losing by 0.87% to Merritt.[10]

Democratic Party

In 2005 Campbell became treasurer of the North Carolina Democratic Party.[11]

Death

On January 11, 2011, Ralph Campbell Jr. died from lung cancer. His final words to his siblings were simple: "He looked up at us, and he said 'I love you' and he looked at all three of us", said his younger sister Mildred. Following his death, Ralph Campbell Jr. laid in rest in the State Capitol rotunda. Governor Beverly Perdue also ordered that all North Carolina flags at state facilities were to be flown at half-staff in his honor.[3]

"In 1963 my father took Mildred and Ralph to the march on Washington, where they both heard that great speech by Dr. King, "I Have a Dream," and thirty years later Ralph fulfilled that dream by being elected the State Auditor…" – William "Bill" Campbell, at Ralph Campbell Jr.'s funeral.[12]

'His entire life Ralph Campbell was a gift to the people of North Carolina." – Beverly Perdue [12]

References
  1. Marcus 1994, p. 163.
  2. "2005 | Raleigh Hall Of Fame". www.raleighhalloffame.org. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
  3. WRAL (2011-01-13). "Family copes with Ralph Campbell's death :: WRAL.com". Retrieved 2016-09-18.
  4. NC Senate Resolution
  5. "Ralph Campbell Jr. Gets Audit Campaign in High Gear". The AC Phoenix. March 1, 1992. p. 23.
  6. "Ralph Campbell keeps an eye on public institutions". Winston-Salem Chronicle. August 29, 1996. p. C4.
  7. Michaels, Cash (October 14, 2004). "Campbell confident in record". The Chronicle. XXXI (7). pp. A1, A11.
  8. "Our Campaigns – NC Auditor Race – Nov 05, 1996". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
  9. "Our Campaigns – NC Auditor Race – Nov 07, 2000". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
  10. "Our Campaigns – NC Auditor Race – Nov 02, 2004". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
  11. "Ralph Campbell has new job title". The Chronicle. XXXI (27). March 3, 2005. pp. A1, A10.
  12. WRAL (2011-01-15). "Ex-auditor Campbell praised as 'gift' to NC :: WRAL.com". Retrieved 2016-09-18.

Works cited
Political offices
Preceded by
Edward Renfrow		 Auditor of North Carolina
1993–2005		 Succeeded by
Leslie W. Merritt Jr.
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