Trailblazing Pharmacist’s ‘Incredible Life and Legacy’ Spanned 65 Years

 

The late Dr. Charles A. Champion had served the Memphis
community since 1981, the year he launched Champion's Pharmacy
and Herb Store. Here, in this 2014 photo, he's mixing a gel-based
ointment with a spatula. (Photo by Wiley Henry)

MEMPHIS, TN – He was a “Pill-er of the Community,” one of several slogans Dr. Charles A. Champion used to promote Champion’s Pharmacy & Herb Store in the Whitehaven community.

A longtime independent pharmacist, Dr. Champion was widely known for dispensing both traditional drugs and herbal remedies. He’d spent more than 40 years building a loyal customer base. 

On Jan. 21, Dr. Champion died, bringing an end to a total of 65 years in pharmacy. He was 92.

The family expressed the loss of Dr. Champion in a statement to the media that underscores his “incredible life and legacy.”

“Dr. Champion spent his career creating and providing remedies to treat many common illnesses,” the statement reads. “His dedication and love for people and his community were evident in his work. 

“The joy Dr. Champion found in serving others was immeasurable, and we are grateful to everyone who trusted him and Champion’s Pharmacy & Herb Store with their health and wellness needs.”

The statement concludes with an appeal for the community to continue to carry Dr. Champion “in your hearts and continue to ‘Live Like A Champion,’” a recent slogan heralded by the family.

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland tweeted his condolences to Dr. Champion’s family. “I was saddened to hear about the death of Dr. Charles Champion. He was a true champion.” 

Strickland presented Dr. Champion with the key to the city in 2019.

Dr. Willie W. Herenton, the former mayor of Memphis, spoke highly of Dr. Champion, calling him a trailblazer in his profession of pharmacy in Tennessee and throughout the nation.

“We have loss a trailblazer…” he said. “He was loved and respected by many. He and I had a great friendship over the years. I had great admiration and respect for Dr. Champion.”

Herenton shared fond memories of meeting Dr. Champion for the first time after speaking with a neighbor in the early years. 

“I vividly remember my neighbor saying, ‘There’s a Black man that’s a doctor with a white coat on down in the shopping center,’” he recalls. “This was at Katz Drug Store (which first opened in Memphis in 1954).” 

Herenton said he walked down to the drugstore to see for himself. “I’d never seen a Black man behind a drugstore [sic] with a white coat on. That’s when I first met Champion,” he said.

Dr. Champion worked 12 years at Katz Drug Store. He was the first African-American pharmacist hired by the chain in the city. Before then, he’d worked 12 years in pharmacy at the former John Gaston Hospital in Memphis. 

Before his foray into pharmacy, Dr. Champion matriculated at Xavier University College of Pharmacy in New Orleans and graduated in 1955. He also spent two years in Germany in the United States Army as a pharmacist.

Dr. Champion and his wife, the former Carolyn Bailey, whom he married in 1958, first opened Champion’s Pharmacy & Herb Store in 1981 at 1925 Third Street and moved 10 years later to their current location at 2369 Elvis Presley Blvd.

Mrs. Champion served as the pharmacy’s business manager.

In 2021, when Dr. Champion was 90, he spoke candidly to The Tennessee Tribune about his life and legacy. He was semi-retired then. His daughters – Dr. Carol “Cookie” Champion and Dr. Charita Champion Brookins, both pharmacists – were running the day-to-day operation. 

“It's a godsend situation,” Dr. Champion told The Tribune. “After we lost our daughter Chandra (in 2014), who was a certified pharmacy technician, she’d produced two children who are able to help us from a financial standpoint and from a scientific standpoint.” 

Dr. Carol Champion had said she hopes to expand what her father had built. “I want to expand our territory and be able to grow the online sales,” she had said in 2021, “and possibly open a west Tennessee location within two to three years.”

Right now, the family is grieving the loss of the trailblazing founder of Champion’s Pharmacy & Herb Store, Dr. Charles A. Champion. 

Funeral arrangements: A wake for Dr. Charles A. Champion is scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 29, from 2 p.m.-6 p.m. at Mt. Olive Cathedral CME Church, 538 Dr. MLK Jr. Ave., Memphis, TN 38126. The funeral is Monday at noon, Jan. 30, also at the church.

Can Mayor-elect Jim Strickland bridge a splintered Memphis community?

     

Mayor-elect Jim Strickland thanks his supporters, including a bevy of African-
Americans who stumped with him on the campaign trail. (Photo by Wiley Henry)

       “It’s over!” said former Shelby County Commissioner Sidney Chism, a resounding declaration that his longtime friend, Councilman Jim Strickland, had already scored a major victory before it was known that he’d trounced the incumbent mayor of Memphis in the Oct. 8 mayoral election.   

Chism had predicted Strickland would defeat Mayor A C Wharton Jr. at 8:30 p.m., an hour and a half before Strickland stood gaily amid a throng of supporters at Memphis Botanic Gardens to announce that he’d indeed won the race.

The former commissioner had foreseen a new chief executive moving into City Hall based on “the amount of support that A C has lost in the black community…and based on black folks wanting a change…and not who the candidate was.”

“With that in mind, it was easy to predict who would win,” said Chism, former chairman of the Shelby County Democratic Party.

“When we started, we felt like we had the message that would resonate all throughout this city – which was focused on driving down crime and change. And that’s what the people wanted, whether North Memphis, East Memphis or South Memphis,” said Strickland following his victory speech.

Strickland is the first white mayor of Memphis since Dr. Willie W. Herenton beat incumbent Dick Hackett by a mere 142 votes in that historic election in 1991. Herenton would go on to serve five terms before the charter was amended to two consecutive four-year terms for Memphis mayor.

Strickland made history as well. He beat Wharton 2-to-1 in a race that pitted him against a slate of African-American candidates that included Strickland’s council mate Harold Collins and  Mike Williams, president of the Memphis Police Association.

“This is historic,” said Ken Moody, a former Memphis State University basketball standout, city division director under Herenton, and Strickland’s co-campaign manager. “In the words of Dr. King: ‘We are on the move!’”

With all 119 precincts reporting, Strickland amassed 41,810 votes (42 percent) to Wharton’s 22,184 votes (22 percent). Collins garnered 18,481 votes (18 percent) for a third place finish and Williams trailed with 16,174 votes (16 percent). Six other mayoral candidates received 1 percent or less.

Wharton was first elected mayor in a special election in October 2009 to replace Herenton, who vacated the seat after winning his fifth term in office. There were 25 candidates in the race and 61 percent of the electorate sent Wharton to City Hall. He was reelected in 2011 with 65 percent of the vote.

Early returns on Thursday were hampered by glitches in the voting equipment. But after the votes were finally tallied later in the evening, Wharton conceded the race to Strickland after 10 p.m. It was a heart-breaking defeat for Wharton, but he remained composed.

“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be just fine,” he told his supporters at the Holiday Inn Memphis-University of Memphis.

Wharton’s last day in office is Dec. 31. Strickland will be sworn in as the new mayor of Memphis on Jan. 1, 2016. During the transition period, he’ll start filling key positions in his administration and preparing his new team to govern after he takes the oath of office.

Strickland said his first order of business is to “go after the best possible” chief administrative officer, finance director, human resource director, and police director. “Those are the four most important positions,” he said.

Crime abatement remains a high priority on Strickland’s list of things to do. “Starting Jan. 1,” he said, “I will personally focus on driving down crime every single day and just serving the public. That’s all the public wants.”

African Americans want even more from the mayor-elect. His victory is a mandate to right what they believe is wrong with Memphis and to set the city and their community on a trajectory toward growth and prosperity.

Wharton, on the other hand, failed to persuade the electorate – both black and white – that he has the wherewithal to take the city forward. So based on water cooler conversations in the African American community, a vote for Strickland was more or less a vote against Wharton.

“No matter who won, it was going to be a difficult challenge,” said Strickland. “With 30 percent poverty…with the crime the way it is, with the blight the way it is…it’s going to be hard… but I’m excited about the opportunity to gather a team of quality people to change Memphis.”

“He’ll do what is right for the city of Memphis and the total population. His heart is in the right place,” said Chism, who has known the mayor-elect for more than 20 years.

Because there were snafus that Wharton could not fix or contain within his administration, Chism said he didn’t think people would tolerate from Strickland what they’d tolerated from Wharton.

The mayor-elect understands the delicate position that he’s now confronted with and understands there has to be some bridge building to pull together the diverse communities in Memphis.

“Change is coming to Memphis,” Strickland promised and noted that his work is just beginning to address the serious ills affecting Memphis. “We will build a new administration from the top down to reflect the diversity and richness of this city…

“It doesn’t matter where you were born or what you look like. It doesn’t matter who you are or who you know. It doesn’t matter if you live in Orange Mound or Midtown, South Side or Southwind, I will be everybody’s mayor.”

“His heart is in the right place,” said Kay Smith, the mother of Strickland’s wife, Melyne. “And if anybody can turn it around, he can.”

 Before it was announced that Strickland had won, Smith said she’d prayed for his wisdom, character and integrity to remain the same if he should become mayor.

“I want him to remain who he is,” she said. “I don’t want him to change. He’s a Christian and he was brought up that way.” 

Is Wilkins the man to unseat Cohen?

A first floor suite in the historic 14-story Shrine Building at the corner of Front Street and Monroe Avenue is ground zero for The Law Offices of Ricky E. Wilkins. The architecture is exquisite and furnished with the trappings of success. But Wilkins is willing to trade much of it for a fulltime seat in Congress.

"I'm a lifelong Memphian who was raised in South Memphis. I want to give back to the community any way I can," he said. "I've been practicing law for 23 years and volunteered my time, talent and resources because I care about the community. So running for Congress is a natural extension of giving back."

Wilkins is challenging U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen for the right to represent Tennessee's Ninth Congressional District, an area entirely contained in Shelby County and includes the city of Memphis and portions of Collierville and Germantown.

Ricky E. Wilkins

The district is 60 percent African American and 33.5 percent white. Wilkins is mindful that basing his campaign solely on race likely would be counterproductive and lessen his chances of unseating Cohen in the Democratic Primary on Aug. 7.

"I'm planning on running this campaign based on my qualifications and the issues. The fact that I'm African American has nothing to do with it," said Wilkins, alluding to the hotly contested congressional races that pitted Cohen against Democratic challengers Nikki Tinker in 2008, Dr. Willie W. Herenton in 2010 and Tomeka Hart in 2012.

Undaunted by the incumbency on Cohen's side, Wilkins intends to run a grassroots campaign that highlights who he is, what he has been doing and what he plans to do for the Ninth Congressional District.

"Nobody thinks it can be done," said Wilkins. "We intend to prove them wrong."

Wilkins' supporters include Randy Wade, Cohen's former friend and one-time district director of his Memphis office. Wade parted with Cohen last year after the congressman filed an ethics complaint linked to Wade's support of a state representative's re-election bid.

Wilkins pulled a petition for Congress on Jan. 3rd, bringing onboard Wade at the onset of the campaign.

"Mr. Wade is an active and enthusiastic supporter of mine in my quest for Congress," said Wilkins. "I appreciate Mr. Wade's support and his continued efforts to help me identify other supporters in the community."

Wilkins said those who have confidence in him are stepping up to help.

"I'm encouraged by that and intend to bring on new supporters," he said, "people who have not been a part of the political process."

Two other Democrats besides Wilkins and Cohen have pulled petitions to run in the Democratic primary and two Republicans have placed their names in contention for the Republican primary. Only one candidate has filed so far.

The qualifying deadline for both Democratic and Republican primaries is April 3rd at noon.

Fighting the tough fight...

Wilkins said a change in leadership is needed to solve the district's problems.

"The economic conditions in this community must not be ignored," he said. "It must be a front-burner issue, and I intend to spend an appreciative amount of time working hard."

After graduating from Carver High School in 1983, Howard University in 1987, and Vanderbilt University School of Law in 1990, Wilkins said the South Memphis community where he grew up is still blighted and neglected.

"I'm embarrassed. And my heart hurts every time I drive through the community," he said. "Thirty years later, the community in some areas looks like a war zone."

As congressman, Wilkins said he'd bring new ideas, new approaches, and new alliances to improve the district. "Those who have served I respect and appreciate, but we're taking this to another level," he said.

The level Wilkins is referring to comprises his campaign platform, which includes growing small businesses, providing economic opportunities, improving education, fixing the crime problem, making provisions for veterans, and uplifting people in the district.

"Education is the great social equalizer," he said. "Everything that I am goes back to the educators who believed in me, guided me, and set me on the right path. I'll make sure they (the school system) get the support of the congressional office."

If elected, Wilkins said he'd bring federal dollars to the district and work cohesively across the aisle with others in Congress with opposing views. He used as an example the federal dollars the Memphis Housing Authority obtained to dismantle public housing during his 20-year stint as chairman of the board of commissioners.

"I understand the need to work across the aisle," said Wilkins, pointing also to his experience as a trial lawyer. "I'll make sure Memphis gets its fair share of federal dollars. And I'm going to be very successful in doing that."

Political pundits and observers have noted in past congressional races that a hefty war chest would be needed to get one's message across or make a sizable impact in the race. In the 2008 race, Cohen raised $1.2 million according to opensecrets.org. In 2010, he raised $1.1 million; and in 2012, more than $800,000.

During those races, the money raised by Cohen's opponents paled in comparison. Wilkins, however, said raising funds wouldn't be a problem and that people would be curious to see his financial disclosure form.

"We're reaching out to our supporters, not just locally, but outside of Memphis as well," said Wilkins.

Cohen, is a career politician, said Wilkins, stressing that he on the other hand is looking for an opportunity to serve the people and not a job.

He also pointed out other differences between he and Cohen.

"Steve Cohen has never been married, never had kids that I know of, and never has been responsible for employees and helping them pay their mortgage."

Wilkins was married 18 years and has two daughters.

The Ninth Congressional District needs leadership that motivates and inspires people to reach their fullest potential, which subsequently uplifts the entire community, said Wilkins, vowing to be that leader.

Running for Congress is a sacrifice, he said, and, no doubt an uphill battle in this instance.

"I'm a guy that grew up around welfare and food stamps to a teenage mother who dropped out in the 10th grade. So fighting an uphill battle is not new to me," he said. "It's a part of my DNA. I've been taught that if you work hard and have faith in God, there's no mountain you can't climb."

A man stands up and speaks to what he believes and goes forward regardless of what people think, said Wilkins.

"You have to be strong enough to stand up to the opposition."

About Ricky E. Wilkins...

Ricky E. Wilkins is a native Memphian who graduated from Carver High School in 1983. He went on to graduate from Howard University in 1987 and Vanderbilt University School of Law in 1990.

After law school, he was the first African-American attorney to make partner at Burch, Porter & Johnson. He left in 2003 to start his own law firm, The Law Offices of Ricky E. Wilkins.

Wilkins served 20 years as chairman of the Memphis Housing Authority Board of Commissioners. He is a past president of the Ben F. Jones Chapter of the National Bar Association, past president of the Memphis Bar Association, and past president of Tennessee Board of Law Examiners.

He is a life member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Vanderbilt Alumni Association, the NAACP, and a member of New Life Missionary Baptist Church.

Cohen: ‘I run on my record’

At the intersection of Union and Cooper, an 11-year-old boy stricken with polio waited eagerly for the convertible transporting the future 35th president of the United States to pass his way en route to the riverfront to  deliver a campaign speech. Transfixed by the thrill of seeing Sen. John F. Kennedy, Steve Cohen aimed his camera, framed the senator, and fired the shutter that day in September of 1960.

Today, the vintage black and white photograph of a beaming Kennedy sitting atop the convertible with then-Memphis mayor Henry Loeb and then-Senator Albert Gore Sr. hangs conspicuously among Cohen's extensive collection of photographs, posters, artwork, hundreds of campaign buttons, and other political paraphernalia in his Spanish Tudor-style home on the periphery of Overton Park.

President Obama signs the Speech Act into law on Aug. 10, 2010.

The paraphernalia are decades-long records of events and personalities that inspired and shaped Cohen. His brush with Kennedy subsequently would seal his fate as a public servant in local, state and national politics.

"My father took me with him to vote in 1960. He let me pull the level for John Kennedy," said Cohen, who registered to vote at 21 on the same day he ran for public office. He would become a delegate and vice-president of the Tennessee Constitutional Convention in 1977, serve two years on the Shelby County Commission, and 24 years in the Tennessee State Senate.

In 2006, Cohen beat 14 opponents in the Democratic Primary and ushered in a new era as the first Jewish person in Tennessee's history to win election to the U.S. House of Representatives from the state's majority African-American Ninth Congressional District.

The Democratic Primary is Aug. 7th, and Cohen is seeking a 5th term. Democratic challengers attorney Ricky E. Wilkins and activist Isaac Richmond are vying for the seat. Republican Charlotte Bergmann is making another run, and Paul Cook is tossing his hat in the ring as an independent.

Early voting is July 18 to Aug. 2.

After Cohen made his mark as a freshman congressman, casting votes that were endeared by the NAACP and other organizations, he and his supporters in the African-American community would find common ground on most issues.

"The NAACP has given me an 'A' every single year. Harold Ford Jr. got a 'C,'" said Cohen, noting that some powerful African Americans around the country "express sadness that I have an opponent." He pointed out Kansas City Cong. Emanuel Cleaver II, former AFSCME secretary-treasurer William "Bill" Lucy, former Georgia state senator and past NAACP chairman Julian Bond, and Georgia Cong. John Lewis.

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen is an avid collector of political buttons.

Cohen has had his share of opposition – but what politician hasn't? However, those who know him have discovered that his political astuteness and work ethic tend to work to his advantage. In fact, he has been victorious in each congressional race since his maiden launch in 2006. He beat Nikki Tinker in 2008, former Memphis mayor Dr. Willie W. Herenton in 2010, and Tomeka Hart in 2012.

Wilkins is running a fierce campaign in an attempt to unseat Cohen. Undaunted by the move, the congressman, a fierce campaigner himself, said unequivocally, "I run every race the same way. I leave no stone unturned. I take every election seriously. And I run on my record.

"There's not a day – when I'm home – that I don't meet with my constituents and respond to the issues," said Cohen, declaring himself a hands-on congressman – such as writing, addressing and sealing thank you notes and proofing all documents.
"This is part of who I am," he said. "I've done this all my life. I haven't changed. I'm a Type A personality. I've been this way since I was a child. I've had a lot to overcome. And polio survivors are known to be Type A personalities."

In a feature story in March, Wilkins pointed out that he's running a campaign based on his qualifications and the issues. He also said he's the right person to represent the district, which is 60 percent African American and 33.5 percent white.

Is this a subtle argument on Wilkins' part that an African American should represent the district? He wouldn't entertain the notion, but noted that he understands the constituents and their needs, having been raised by a single mother struggling in South Memphis.

Cohen counters, saying, "Nobody brought up that you have to be African American, poor, or raised by a single mother when Harold Ford Jr. was in Congress. Nobody questioned his ability to represent the district coming from a wealthy and powerful family.

"I don't think people are buying that. It wasn't a condition necessary for Harold Ford Jr. to go to Congress. The public wants somebody who works hard, who's going to be there for the city, and deliver. The fact that I'm white is not an issue."

Delivering for Memphis...

Although Wilkins has laid out his platform and what he intends to do if he's elected to Congress, Cohen said quite frankly, "These are things I've already done."

Pro-choice. "He's never done anything or gotten any recognition for his efforts," the congressman said. "I've been pro-choice all my life."

The Affordable Care Act. "Well, I've voted for it, campaigned for it. I've spoken for it, and I've signed people up. I've never seen him as part of the debate."

Working with President Obama in Washington. "He's not going to. President Obama wants to work with me. We have a good relationship and that's for the good and benefit of Memphis."

Cohen touted his relationship with the president at a news conference at his home in April, where he announced that Obama had endorsed his re-election bid for the third consecutive time. He read the endorsement to the media.

"Congressman Steve Cohen has been a leader on justice and civil rights issues and has worked tirelessly on behalf of his constituents. His focus on bringing good jobs, affordable health care, and world class education to Tennessee is why I am proud to once again support his re-election."

Cohen said Wilkins talks about the district's problems, what his office hasn't done to fix them, but has never written his office – "not once."

"Talk is cheap," he said. "I know politics. I've been in it all my life."

The district is contained entirely in Shelby County and includes the city of Memphis and portions of Collierville and Germantown. When it comes to governance, Cohen said there's a public sector and there's a private sector.

"Some people say the city is in bad shape economically. So they ask what have I done. Well, I've done a lot," he said, explaining the difference between the congressman's job and the mayor's job. "The congressman is not responsible for the overall health of the city. That's the mayor's job."

On the federal level, however, Cohen pointed to a number of projects that he's supported with federal dollars. "We got major funding for the MED – now Regional One Health – which was in the Affordable Care Act," he said.

"I worked to get funding for the Dr. Benjamin L. Hooks Job Corps Center, brought jobs to Memphis with the American Steamship project, and got federal funds for the City of Memphis' Second Chance program."

He pointed to another project currently on his desk, a Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant that he's trying to secure that would transform the area around Vance Avenue into a mixed-income housing community.

In 2012, the congressman announced that Memphis would receive a Tiger IV Discretionary Grant to establish a 12-mile regional multimodal corridor between Main Street in Memphis and Main Street in West Memphis, Ark., via the historic Harahan Bridge over the Mississippi River.

He also said he's working with Mayor A C Wharton Jr. to get the federal government to grant a Promise Zone status to Memphis in an effort to eliminate poverty. The first criterion, he said, is to secure a Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant.
"It would be a major accomplishment for Memphis," Cohen said.

On justice, racial disparities, and crime issues, Cohen said he has the president's ear particularly on issues that would benefit or affect African Americans, such as commutation of sentences involving crack cocaine.

He recommended to the president and the Senate confirmed the following judicial nominees: Judge Bernice Donald for United States Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit, Judge John Fowlkes for District Court Judge for the Western District of Tennessee, Ed Stanton III as U.S. Attorney for Tennessee's Western District, and recently Sheryl Lipman for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee.
As a ranking member of Congress now, Cohen said he has the influence and the support of the Obama administration to deliver for Memphis.

About U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen...

Cohen is a fourth-generation Memphian. After graduating from Coral Gables High School in Florida, he returned home to Memphis and graduated from Vanderbilt University in Nashville in 1971 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, and from the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law of the former Memphis State University in 1973 with a Juris Doctor.

After establishing a legal practice in 1978, Cohen went on to devote his life to public service. He is an avid supporter of the arts and a longtime sports fan, particularly the Memphis Grizzlies. His community involvement includes serving on various boards and commissions. He also is a lifetime member of the NAACP.

Cohen has been honored numerous times throughout his career – for policymaking and legislative leadership, his voting record, and for advocating on behalf of various groups and issues.