Black Tennis Hall of Fame Inductee Dr. James B. Ewers, Jr. was inducted into the 2021 class of the Black Tennis Hall of Fame in January 2021. Click here for his induction link.
Tennis Courts Dedication
The tennis courts at the Atkins High School are named for one of its best tennis players: Dr. James B. Ewers, Jr.
However, the native of Winston-Salem, NC, is also known for a 40-year career as an educator with over forty years of experience in working at the college and secondary level. During this time, he has developed programs and activities for traditional and non-traditional students.
While in high school, he was one of the top players in North Carolina. In 2012 the Atkins High School tennis courts, in Winston-Salem, were renamed in his honor. He had been inducted into the Atkins High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010. In 2016, he was nominated for inclusion in the North Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame.
Ewers teaching career started after he received a B.A. degree in Political Science from Johnson C. Smith University, where he attended on a tennis scholarship. He was All-Conference for four years and his record of having won 34 consecutive tennis singles matches still stands. Included in this streak are wins over players from Purdue and Northwestern universities. He is a member of the university’s Hall of Fame.
Ewers received the M. A. degree in Education from Catholic University in Washington, DC, and the Ed. D. degree in Education from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, MA. He has also done post-doctoral studies at Harvard University, where he was a 1996 graduate of the Management Development Program. Ewers is currently the USTA Southern Diversity & Inclusion Committee Chair and a member of the newly formed USTA Diversity & Inclusion Committee. He serves as Director-at-large of USTA Louisiana and chairs and its Diversity & Inclusion Committee. He is a former member of the USTA Southern Schools & After Schools Committee. Ewers is a life member of the NAACP and a member of Alpha Phi Alpha. Ewers is married to Deborah L. Ewers. They have three adult children and five grandchildren.