Jimmie Lee Kirkpatrick

Jimmie Lee Kirkpatrick was born in 1948 and raised in the historic Grier Heights community of Charlotte, North Carolina. His life story reflects the power of perseverance, faith, education, and the pursuit of justice.

As a standout athlete at predominantly Black Second Ward High School, Jimmie became the first African American selected to the Charlotte Observer All-City Football Team. During the era of school desegregation, he made the difficult and historic decision to transfer to Myers Park High School, where he helped lead the Mustangs to an undefeated championship season and earned All-State and All-American honors.

In 1965, Jimmie’s controversial exclusion from the North Carolina Shrine Bowl sparked a landmark racial discrimination lawsuit led by renowned civil rights attorney Julius Chambers. Following the court's ruling, several civil rights leaders became targets of racial violence when their homes were bombed. The events surrounding that season would become a defining chapter in Charlotte’s civil rights history.

After graduating from Myers Park in 1966, Jimmie attended Purdue University on a football scholarship. As a freshman, he was a member of Purdue’s 1967 Rose Bowl championship team and later led the Big Ten Conference in kickoff returns. A career-ending knee injury eventually redirected his path, leading him west to California and later to the Oregon coast.

Living in the Pacific Northwest profoundly shaped Jimmie’s worldview. As he often reflects, it was there that he “began to fully understand and appreciate the beauty of God’s natural world and the responsibility we all share to protect it for future generations.

After working in the lumber, fishing, and logging industries, Jimmie discovered his true calling in education. He earned a Master’s Degree in Education from Oregon State University and dedicated more than thirty years to public education as a teacher, coach, counselor, and administrator. For twenty-five of those years, he served as a high school administrator, mentoring thousands of young people and advocating for equity, opportunity, and student success.

In retirement, Jimmie continued his commitment to youth by working within the juvenile justice system while also devoting himself to historical research, community dialogue, and storytelling. In 2013, The Charlotte Observer published the acclaimed three-part series Breaking Through, chronicling Jimmie’s groundbreaking experiences during Charlotte’s school desegregation era.

Two years later, the newspaper published A Binding Truth, documenting the remarkable story of Jimmie and his former Myers Park classmate, De Kirkpatrick. Their journey uncovered the shared history connecting their families through slavery and inspired the award-winning documentary A Binding Truth.

In 2021, the Charlotte Sports Foundation established the Jimmie Lee Kirkpatrick Award, presented annually by Dr Pepper to a senior football player from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools who demonstrates excellence on the field, leadership in the classroom, and a commitment to serving the community. The award includes a $10,000 scholarship, commemorative trophy, and recognition during the annual Duke's Mayo Bowl festivities. The honor stands as a lasting tribute to Jimmie’s courage, character, and lifelong commitment to creating opportunities for future generations.

Today, Jimmie serves as Founder and President of The Kirkpatrick Foundation, where he continues to share his story as a bridge-builder, educator, and advocate for truth, reconciliation, and community healing. Through public speaking, documentary film, historical research, and educational initiatives, he works to inspire meaningful conversations about race, history, justice, and the power of human connection.

Jimmie and his wife, Vicki, a retired physical therapist, have been married for more than four decades. They are the proud parents of three sons—Anthony, Jimmie Lee Jr., and Nathan—and grandparents whose lives continue to inspire the Foundation’s mission of creating a more just and compassionate future.