John W. Winters | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the Raleigh City Council | |
| In office July 3, 1961 – 1967 | |
| Member of the North Carolina Senate from the 14th district | |
| In office 1975 – July 1, 1977 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 21, 1920 Raleigh, North Carolina, United States |
| Died | February 15, 2004 (aged 84) Atlanta, Georgia |
| Political party | Democratic Party |
| Spouse |
Marie Montaque (m. 1941) |
John Wesley Winters Sr. (January 21, 1920 – February 15, 2004) was an American real estate developer, politician, and civil rights activist. A member of the Democratic Party, he served on City Council of Raleigh, North Carolina, from 1961 until 1967 and in the North Carolina Senate for the 14th district from 1975 until 1977.
Winters was born in 1920 in Raleigh. He spent most of his youth there but moved to New York City to complete his education. He later returned to Raleigh and married, and soon thereafter dropped out of college to take up work after his first child was born. He then worked a series of service jobs before saving up enough money to start his own construction company. After building a few homes, Winters' company took up larger projects and began constructing hundreds of houses. In 1961 Winters competed for a seat on the Raleigh City Council and won, becoming the first black person elected to the body since 1900. He chaired the council's Public Works Committee, developing and implementing a plan which used state funds to pave neglected streets in black neighborhoods. He also served as an adviser to Governor Terry Sanford on matters of race and civil rights. Winters retired from the city council in 1967, but seven years later he was elected to the North Carolina Senate seat from the 14th district. He won reelection two years later, but resigned in July 1977 following his appointment to the North Carolina Utilities Commission.