2019 Winning Essay by Brett Berquist
James Lee Purnell Jr.
He is quietly strong and genuinely friendly. He has a fierce sense of fairness and amazing energy. At 82 years old, he has seen both the best and worst in people and he remains one of the most positive forces in our local area. This exceptional human being is Mr. James “Jimmy” Purnell, a long-serving Worcester County Commissioner, along-time bus driver for Worcester County Public Schools, and a lifelong human rights activist. His legacy in Worcester County is truly one that should be honored.
Today’s social turmoils are a reminder of the importance of the life work of Mr.Purnell. With images in the news of achievement gaps, racial profiling, and other social injustices, society today still has work to do to bridge the racial divide. However, we also have to take the time to celebrate how far we have come since black Americans began the fight for equality. It has been said that “you can’t live a positive life with a negative mind,” and Mr. Jimmy Purnell has certainly demonstrated this philosophy throughout his life as he has fought to make Worcester County one of the most progressive and congenial areas in the nation.
Despite growing up enduring racial slurs and experiencing racial inequality, Mr. Jimmy never showed anger. Instead, he did something about it and created a positive outcome. When there was an unwritten rule that black teenagers could not apply for the better jobs on the “white side” of Berlin, Mr. Jimmy decided to apply and landed himself a job as the first black employee at Sunshine Laundry. When the black community of Berlin was suffering from an untreated, polluted landfill, Mr. Jimmy decided to lead a group of citizens to force its closing and gain clean water access for the community. When Ocean City marketing campaigns lacked diversity, Mr. Jimmy took action and changed the face of tourism advertisements. When there was a need to re-define voting districts inWorcester County so that black citizens were more fairly represented, Mr. Jimmy led the charge. When there was a 250+ year drought of an elected minority official in Worcester County, Mr. James “Jimmy” Purnell became the first. Mr.Jimmy is not only a trailblazer; he is a life changer.
The beauty of Worcester County comes not only from its surroundings but also from its people. Worcester County is a unique and magical place, populated by some of the most kind, authentic, hardworking, and community-oriented people in the country. Our special area thrives because of the values that are ingrained in our people and we owe it to the work of leaders like Mr. Purnell. He graciously fought for the rights of African Americans and forever changed Worcester County for the better. Because of him, I am proud to call Worcester County my home andI am inspired to embrace challenges. Perhaps most importantly, because of Mr. James Purnell, countless generations are now empowered to become leaders and positive forces in the community.