Rev. Collins Days Says He Is Ready for Full Term on Atlantic County Commissioner’s Board
Photo courtesy Atlantic County Democratic Party
Late District 1 Commissioner Ernest Coursey Asked Days to Run for His Seat before His Death
BY CLYDE HUGHES | AC JosepH Media
ATLANTIC CITY – Rev. Collins Days Sr. has always extended himself outside of his pastoral duties of Second Baptist Church, whether sitting on the Stockton University Board of Trustees, being an active member of the Atlantic City NAACP or supporting to build clinics and housing in African countries like Kenya.
Days added the title of Atlantic County District 1 commissioner to his resume, appointed to replace longtime friend Ernest Coursey, who was being treated for cancer, and died on Aug. 5.
Days was already running for a full-term on the seat against Atlantic City political veteran George Tibbitt, and current at-large member of city council in Atlantic City. Days said that Black pastors, and to that extension the Black church, has long played an “outside the four walls” work in their communities.
The Black church was often the place of refuge and safety during the Civil Rights Movement and beyond, where the community could gather comfortably and speak openly where they could not in other venues. That tradition continues in many Black churches today.
“The Black church has always played a role in the African American community,” Days said. “It has long been a place where we held political rallies, and it was the church that often spoke for the community. It was the church that pushed for the betterment of the community.”
Days said Coursey approached him about running for his commissioner’s position. Coursey was a longtime Atlantic City politician who served on city council before representing Atlantic City on the commission’s board. He also served as chief of staff of Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr.
“He said he thought I would be the best person for the job,” Days said. “He felt that he wanted me to do it.”
Days, who had not held public office before, said he initially hesitated and prayed about the decision when Coursey approached him a second time about running for the District 1 seat.
“I felt I could be of help to Atlantic County, so I decided to do it,” Days said, solidifying his own purpose in stepping into the political arena. “We have always ministered to the mind, body and soul. We’ve always been involved in the body politic through community development.
“We’ve always been involved in issues like housing and drug addiction. So, we’ve always been involved in issues that could better the community, and now we will have a chance to look at it from the political side through policy.”
Days said many churches continue to work through community development corporations to address concerns in their communities.
“Over the past 30 years, economic development, social issues, dealing with housing and business development, I think that helps me in raising those issues and dealing with the fiscal concerns, which makes me a good candidate.”
Days said sitting in Coursey’s seat has made him even more comfortable in taking on and speaking out on issues he believes are important to his district.
Days earned his bachelor’s in political science from South Carolina State College, now South Carolina State University. Second Baptist Church, with more than 2,000 members, has one of the largest congregations in Atlantic County.
He serves as president of the agency the United Brethren in Action (UBIA), which serves and supports mission partnerships in Kenya where clinics, school libraries and a children’s orphanage was established to provide housing and education for more than 200 children.
For more than 20 years, Days has been involved in his community development corporation known as Vision 2000, which has developed home ownership programs, created the Civil Rights Garden, built senior citizens apartments, instituted minority-owned businesses and established low-income housing.
He serves on the board at the John Brooks Recovery Center, which offers substance abuse treatment services in Atlantic City for New Jersey residents.
His desire to encourage emotionally broken men and women who have lost hope led him to launch Christians in Recovery, a program for those struggling with addiction. He promotes an anti-violence movement in Atlantic City, as well.
He has received numerous awards, including the Dr. Martin Luther King Award and the Stockton Council of Black Faculty’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
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