Civil rights activist Ben Frazier dies after long battle with cancer

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Civil Rights Activist Ben Frazier dies Saturday after long battle with cancer, according to WJXT News. He was 73.

Family and friends gathered Tuesday to honor his life at a candlelight vigil at James Weldon Johnson Park in Jacksonville, Florida.

“Ben Frazier led with a passionate, public servant’s heart. A fierce advocate for justice, fairness, and equality, Ben consistently challenged those in power while encouraging and empowering others to take decisive action to create the change they wanted to see in their communities,” said Bacardi Jackson, interim deputy legal director of Children’s Rights for the SPLC.

Frazier was a long-time broadcast journalist who became the first Black anchor of a major news show in Jacksonville, according to the report. He also hosted the noon newscast at WJXT.

He was also an award-winning civil and human rights leader, a tireless voice for the voiceless even as he underwent cancer treatment, WJXT stated.

“Through his advocacy group, the Northside Coalition of Jacksonville, Ben was instrumental in dismantling symbols of white supremacy across Jacksonville. He led collaborative efforts that forced a reckoning with racist public school names, resulting in six schools honoring Confederate leaders being renamed in Jacksonville. Ben’s advocacy also played a vital role in removing the Confederate monument from James Weldon Johnson Park. We are thankful he lived to see these missions accomplished,” Jackson said.

Frazier announced his cancer diagnosis back in October in a statement released on Facebook, saying he was “feeling disbelief, shock, fear and anger” about learning he had non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

The community activist was an inspiration to many people in Jacksonville.

“Leading by example was easy for Ben because he always understood the assignment: apathy is NOT an option. It has truly been our privilege to stand with Ben, the Northside Coalition, and the city of Jacksonville in this ongoing fight for civil rights. The SPLC extends our deepest sympathy to Ben’s family, loved ones, and the city of Jacksonville,” Jackson said.