King James Underwood, Sr. was born to Sarah Parson Underwood
and Judge Underwood on April 24, 1938, the 9th of 10 siblings
in Pantherburn, Mississippi. King James came to live with
his sister, Mrs. Rosetta Williams, her husband Ike Williams
and their family in Urbana when he was about 7 years old.
He worked full-time while completing high school in Urbana.
Other than the time he spent in the United States Navy,
he has lived in Urbana-Champaign.
Education: Certificate from Illinois Institute
of Technology; B.A. in Theology; B.A. in Rehabilitation
Counseling; M.A. in Religious Education; Doctor of Ministry;
Doctor of Divinity (Honorary).
Employment: University of Illinois, Illini Union
and Housing Division; General and Sub-Building Contractor
(renovation of homes and churches - built New Free Will
Baptist Church); Alloy Engineering and Casting Company.
Community and Spiritual Services: Spiritual Counselor
and Advisor to Danville Correctional Center; Champaign
County Jail, University of Illinois, Eastern Illinois
University, and Indiana University student outreach; Boy
Scouts; tutorial programs;Urban League of Champaign County;
NAACP; Citizens Concerned with Quality Education; Ministerial
Alliance of Champaign-Urbana and Vicinity; Rainbow Push
Coalition Advisory Board of Champaign County; Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr. Advocacy for Justice Committee; Empty
Tomb; benefited the community spiritually, culturally
and financially by sponsoring Free Will Baptist District,
Regional and Youth Conferences; Mayoral proclamation of
"Bishop King James Underwood Day" in Urbana,
Illinois
