James Kemp
Former president of NAACP
About James Kemp
Lived 1912 – 1983 (aged 70–71).
James Horace Kemp (18 August 1912 in Muskogee – 5 December 1983 in Chicago) was an American labor organizer and elected president of the NAACP. He was married to Maida Springer Kemp, a labor organizer and historian. He served on the executive board of the Chicago Federation of Labor. He was also a board member of the Regional Transportation Authority.
In 1969, Kemp was elected to the Illinois Constitutional Convention as a delegate from the 22nd legislative district, which covered Bronzeville and adjacent neighborhoods.
Legacy METX 105, an EMD F40PH locomotive owned by Metra is named after James Kemp (because he was on the board of directors of the Regional Transit Authority, which oversees Metra). It entered service with Metra in 1977 and was the sixth F40PH to be delivered into their fleet. It currently serves the BNSF Line out of Chicago Union Station.
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Important facts
People in James Kemp's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped James Kemp's
Frequently asked questions
Who was James Kemp?
former president of NAACP (1912–1983)
When was James Kemp born?
James Kemp was born in 1912.
When did James Kemp die?
James Kemp died on 5 December 1983 in Chicago.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). James Kemp. https://biography.guide/james-kemp-1912/
MLA: "James Kemp." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/james-kemp-1912/.
Chicago: "James Kemp." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/james-kemp-1912/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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