Former Raleigh City Councilman and former North Carolina State Auditor, Ralph Campbell, Jr,. died yesterday at Duke Raleigh Hospital. Funeral Director Bruce Lightner says the cause of death was lung cancer. Campbell was 64 years old.
Campbell was the product of a prominent, African American family, and his father, Ralph Campbell, Sr., was active in the NAACP and his brother was the first black child to attend a previously all-white school in Raleigh. When he was elected State Auditor in 1992, Campbell himself made history as the first African American elected to the Council of State in a statewide election in 1992.
He served as State Auditor until losing in 2004, when Republican Les Merritt narrowly won the election.
"Ralph Campbell, Jr., was a great friend to the City of Raleigh and served as our ambassador to our Sister City Compiegne," Mayor Charles Meeker said in a public statement. "Ralph also worked on many public improvements including the renovation of Murphey School for senior housing. Raleigh is honored to have had Ralph be a life-long citizen and statesman. We will miss his contributions and humor greatly."
The son of the late Ralph Sr. and June Kay Campbell, Mr. Campbell served Raleigh as mayor pro tem from 1989 to 1991 under the late Mayor Avery C. Upchurch.
Ralph Campbell Jr. will lie in state at the North Carolina Capitol rotunda from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 14.
A memorial service for Mr. Campbell will be held Friday, Jan. 14 in the Fletcher Opera Theater of the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts. The service will be from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. (It had been announced previously the service would start one hour earlier.)
As a member of the Raleigh Council who served with Campbell for six years, Raleigh Democrat Anne Franklin has this to say about him:
“Ralph Campbell was a dear colleague and friend. During my first term on The City Council, I was fortunate to be seated next to him. He was generous in his tutelage on how to get things done, especially on dealing with the City's budget and finances. “
“There are lots of stories to tell. Many he told on himself. Composure was hard to come by when he'd whisper something funny during a Council meeting.”
“He served not only Southeast Raleigh but the entire City. He was instrumental in securing new parkland, establishing an affordable housing loan program, setting goals for minority participation in contracted work, and setting the City's anti-discrimination policies.”
“His successful push for an Anti-Apartheid resolution joined Raleigh to an international movement for justice.”
“He was especially proud of representing Raleigh at a celebration in Compiegne, France, our Sister City. They presented him with a French horn which adorned the Mayor Pro-Tem's office thereafter.
In these days of remembrance, a horn should be played to herald the life of this fine public servant.”
Octavia Rainey of East Raleigh and a neighborhood activist and CAC leader called Campbell “a good man and a great civic leader. He stood up for what was right.”
Rainey says, “ I was proud of him, when he was elected to become the first black auditor.”
Ronnie Condrey had this to say: "Ralph Campbell was a fine political leader from a wonderful Raleigh family, and he did a superb job on the Raleigh City Council and as State Auditor.”
“But I knew Ralph best as a friend who worked for several years in the Department of Insurance. He was very friendly and approachable and always fun to be around. He was also a fine employee and very thougtful.”
According to Condrey, Campbell and former Insurance Commissioner Jim Long developed a close political and personal relationship. “To have both of them die at such a relatively young age is a real tragedy. Yet like Jim Long, Ralph Campbell had many wonderful accomplishments in his life.”
Doris Weaver, Lobbyist for the Workers of America and former Chair of the Wake Democratic Party, says, “Early on in my political activities, Ralph was a guide. When I would ask for help, he was very willing to give help. I greatly respected him and I will miss him.”
According to a story by Raleigh’s News and Observer , as “a councilman representing Southeast Raleigh, Campbell pushed to revitalize downtown, backing a proposal in the late 80s to build a downtown sports arena. He advocated changing the name of Eastern Boulevard to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and championed the redevelopment of City Market into a destination for diners and shoppers.”
For more tributes from those who knew Ralph Campbell best to to WRAL.com here.
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