John A. James, was a college-educated, decorated Vietnam veteran who dreamed of becoming an entrepreneur. When the laws prohibited him from starting his own transportation company, he fought legal battles all the way to the Supreme Court. When the court refused to hear his case, he then fought to change the laws. Ultimately victorious, James went onto build a multi-million-dollar corporation.

James was born in Starkville, Mississippi, and earned a Bachelor of Science in sociology at Mississippi Valley State University. A Vietnam War veteran, he served as a commissioned officer in the Army Corps of Engineers, earning multiple commenda- tions. After his military service, he studied Business Administration at Wayne State University from 1969 to 1972. James entered corporate management at Chrysler’s headquarters in 1971. However, his entrepreneurial spirit ignited when he saw an opportunity in the trucking industry. Despite significant barriers as a 29-year- old African American, James partnered with his uncle, Calvin Outlaw, to form O-J Transport Company in Detroit in 1973. They applied to haul beer and auto parts, but their application was opposed by nine regional trucking companies and denied by the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC). Undeterred, James argued that racial dis- crimination had historically excluded African Americans from the trucking industry and appealed his case up to the Supreme Court.

Although the court refused to review his case, James continued to fight. His persistence paid off in 1978 when the Michigan Public Service Commission allowed O-J Transport to haul automotive parts and other commodities within Michigan. The Commission’s chairman, Daniel Demlow, acknowledged that previous policies had effectively discriminated against minority businesses. James’ struggle highlighted systematic discrimination in transportation policies, leading to significant change. Eventually, the ICC granted O-J Transport the right to move goods nationwide, marking the first time such permissions were awarded to an African American businessman. O-J Transport transformed into James Group International, a $322 million company focused on transportation and logistics. Now retired, James, who passed the company to his children, still influences the industry. Philanthropically, the John A. James Foundation focuses on educational initiates in Detroit and most recently made a significant contribution to the Michigan Central Station Children’s Endowment.