NC lawmaker and activist Kelly Alexander Jr. dies at age 75

NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

North Carolina Rep. Kelly Alexander Jr. of Charlotte, who died Sept. 6, 2024 at age 75, was a civil rights advocate and owner of Alexander Funeral Home.

North Carolina Rep. Kelly M. Alexander Jr., one of Charlotte’s best-known political and civil rights figures, died Friday at age 75.

A statement from Rep. Alexander’s family was posted on the Facebook account of former Charlotte City Council member David Howard.

“It is with deep sadness that the Alexander family shares the passing of our brother, brother-in-law, friend, and community leader, North Carolina Representative Kelly Alexander Jr., who left us this morning,” the post read. “Kelly’s unwavering commitment to his city, district, state, and this nation has been both profound and heartfelt throughout the years.”

Rep. Alexander, a Democrat who spent 15 years in the General Assembly, announced in December he was retiring and threw his support behind campaign manager Aisha Dew. In addition to his political career, Rep. Alexander was co-owner of Alexander Funeral Home with his younger brother Alfred, a business launched by their grandfather in 1914. Before jumping into politics as successor to Pete Cunningham in the state House, Rep. Alexander was state president of the NAACP and a member of the national board of directors for 12 years.

“As director of Alexander Funeral Home, he provided comfort to countless families,” Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles said in a statement. “Kelly was a civil rights leader, following in his father’s footsteps as NC NAACP president, and a tireless advocate for equality. As a fellow graduate of the government program at UNC Chapel Hill, I witnessed his compassion for community service. His legacy of service, compassion, and fighting for justice will forever inspire our city.”

Rep. Alexander grew up in a family that made political and civil rights history. His uncle, Fred Alexander, was the first Black person elected to Charlotte City Council in 1965 and served on the panel until 1974. His father, Kelly Sr., was national NAACP chair and a lieutenant of Martin Luther King Jr., who stayed at the Alexander home in west Charlotte.

As a lawmaker, Rep. Alexander was on the House Agriculture, Alcoholic Beverage Control, Education-Universities, Energy and Public Utilities, Environment and Finance committees in the 2023-24 General Assembly. He was perhaps best known as a champion for medical marijuana legislation, introducing bills annually that would legalize treatment for the terminally ill. Although the bills had little support in the Republican-dominated General Assembly, lawmakers ultimately passed approved production of the drug on land owned by the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation.

“Start thinking big,” Alexander told constituents after introducing a medical marijuana bill in 2016. “In the past, we have seen attendance in Raleigh for medical marijuana legislative days grow from scores of activists to hundreds.”  

A West Charlotte High School graduate, Rep. Alexander taught at his alma mater as well as Harding University High School, Central Piedmont Community College, Johnson C. Smith University, Queens University of Charlotte, and UNC Charlotte.

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