Uncrowned Community Builders

While commonly addressed as "Judge" Carr we have found no information that explains how Mr. Carr received this title but throughout his history he is accorded this title and so we will do so as well.

Judge John Divine Carr was a native of Rocky Point, North Carolina. He was the son of George William and Harriet Marble Carr. Carr graduated from Burgow High School in 1907 and entered A & M College in Greensboro, N.C. from 1908-12. After graduation from A & M, he attended the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis from 1917-1918.

He came to Buffalo around 1946 to as the campaign manager for a candidate seeking election as the treasurer of the National Elks Convention held in Buffalo that year. He was also an active member of the organization. He decided to stay and make Buffalo his home.

Judge Carr was a man of many talents, but his vocation was journalism and photography. Prior to settling in Buffalo he worked for a number of papers including the Afro-American in Baltimore, the Cleveland Call & Post; the Amsterdam News and the New York Age. He founded his own newspaper in his home state early in his career. He was the editor and publisher of the Ashville Enterprise, which he founded in 1918. At one time the newspaper could boast of a weekly circulation of 15,000 in North Carolina as well as South Carolina.

Judge Carr was also engaged in politics and acted as the campaign manager for many local politicians. He was known by many of the local attorneys and judges and said to be well-liked being cited as "a friend of the court". In 1956 he attended the National Democratic Convention in Chicago and also used the opportunity to cover, for the Criterion newspaper, the Chicago Tribune Annual Song Festival and the National Supreme Council of Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite Mason's Convention. He also wrote for the Buffalo/Empire Star.

In 1950 Judge Carr founded the Civil Rights League, Inc. This organization was very active during his life-time. It promoted an annual Emancipation Day Program every January 1st. The League also hosted forums, advocacy programs, brought in political and civil rights leaders as speakers and published the Civil Rights Bulletin. Some of the national speakers included: Dr. Benjamin Mays, Mrs. Mary McLeod Bethune and Congressman Adam Clayton Powell. The League's stated objective: "to be the ever watchful eye in defense of the Negro's civil rights, (and) his rights to equal job opportunities."

He was married to Willie Lee Thomas Carr and the couple had no children. He is buried in Mt. Hope Cemetery in West Seneca, New York.