James Burwell Harrison Jr. (1934-2019)

James Burwell Harrison, Jr., an esteemed psychologist and psychotherapist, and a long-time leader in the LGBTQ community, died on May 5, 2019, of complications from a fall.

Born August 3, 1934, in Gastonia, NC, to Viola Robinson Harrison and James Burwell Harrison, James graduated from Gastonia High School and the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. He went on to receive a Master of Divinity degree from Yale Divinity School, was ordained a Presbyterian minister, and worked as Campus Minister at the University of Colorado in Boulder for several years. In 1967, James married Beverly Jean Wildung in New York City, where Beverly, a Christian social ethicist, had joined the faculty of Union Theological Seminary. James and Beverly were divorced in 1980 and remained lifelong friends and colleagues until her death in 2012.

In the early 1970s, James received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from New York University, and began a private practice as a psychotherapist and, over the years, became a consultant to a number of organizations and movements, including the movement for the full inclusion of gay men and lesbians in the Presbyterian Church and in the American Psychological Association.

Among his many contributions to the gay movement in the United States, James was the executive producer and writer of director Richard Schmiechen's Oscar-nominated documentary, Changing Our Minds: The Story of Dr. Evelyn Hooker (1992), which portrays the life and work of the doctor who undertook the groundbreaking research that led to the discovery in the early 1970s that homosexuality was not a psychological "disorder" and homosexuals were not by definition "sick," which formed the basis of the transformation of American society and was a major victory for gay rights. From the early 1970s, James Harrison and his wife Beverly had been leaders in this movement.

In the early 1990s, James moved to Asheville, where he provided a home for his mother, Viola, herself quite a champion of human rights. In Asheville, James worked in the field of geriatric psychology, consulting with health-care providers and care-givers. He also continued as psychotherapist to men and women, gay and straight, older and younger, and was renowned for his skillfulness, compassion, and intelligence as a therapist who could connect with his clients on whatever level they needed.

James was also an active member of the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina and worked as psychological consultant for the state. James loved gardening and always had a yard full of plants. His friends recall his arriving at parties and potlucks with fresh-cut flowers as well as a bottle or two of wine. He loved dogs and, both in New York and Asheville, usually had a canine companion at his heels.

James' friends will miss him greatly—his quick wit, his keen interest in a variety of subjects, his love of people and Earth, his genuine tenderness as a friend, and his passionate commitments to justice in all forms, thus his strong advocacy of Democratic candidates at all levels of our common life, especially in recent years.

James is survived by cousins Harriet Moore and Jane Sewell and by beloved friends Harvey and Noré Hunter, with whom he lived. James is also survived by his very close friend Dr. Harry M. Rosenberg of Chapel Hill, with whom he shared his love of life.

Asheville Prime Timers, of which Jim was a very active member, has arranged and coordinated a tribute for James Harrison as a Celebration of his life and friendship to so many in the area. It will be held on Wednesday, June 5, at Kenilworth Presbyterian Church, 123 Kenilworth Rd, Asheville, from 7:00-8:30 pm. Everyone is welcome to come share memories or simply pay their respect. Light refreshments will be served.