James Henry Nelson, Jr., M.D., was a revered physician, educator, and fraternity leader whose life was marked by deep dedication to medicine, education, and community service. Born on August 6, 1904, in Hinton, West Virginia, he was one of ten children to James Henry Nelson, Sr., and Maria Mason Nelson.
Nelson’s commitment to medicine was inspired by a personal family tragedy: his father was left crippled after a broken leg. Determined that no patient of his would suffer a similar fate, Nelson pursued a rigorous academic path in the study of medicine. He graduated from West Virginia State College in 1927 and earned his medical degree from Meharry Medical College in 1932. He further enriched his medical education with studies at Columbia University and Temple University, following an internship at St. Agnes Hospital in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Before entering the field of medicine, Nelson briefly worked in education, serving as principal of a junior high school. He began his medical career in Covington, Virginia, in 1934. In 1937, he took on the role of assistant superintendent at Denmar Sanitarium and was promoted to superintendent in 1940.
In 1950, Nelson returned to family medical practice in Charleston, West Virginia. He held several significant medical roles, including assistant medical director of Kanawha County Schools, school physician at West Virginia State College, and house physician at the Harrell Nursing Home and the Washington Hotel. He was a charter member of the Charleston Area Medical Center (CAMC) Medical Staff and also served on the staffs of Saint Francis Hospital and CAMC.
Nelson broke racial barriers in medicine, becoming the first African American member of the Kanawha Medical Society. He was widely respected for his medical expertise, compassionate patient care, and pioneering leadership in health care.
After retiring in 1985, Nelson remained active in the community, volunteering at the Shawnee Community Education Center’s Senior Citizens Blood Pressure Clinic. A devout churchgoer, he served as a trustee at First Baptist Church.
Nelson was also a deeply engaged member of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity. He served as Grand Sire Archon from 1966 to 1968. His contributions to medicine, fraternity, and the broader community earned him admiration and affection across generations.
His life spanned 90 years, concluding on August 26, 1994. Nelson was preceded in death by his wife, Elizabeth Conner Nelson.
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