A proud native of Kalamazoo, Dr. Charles Warfield attended the University High School at Western Michigan University (WMU), earned his BA and MA from WMU, and went on to receive a doctorate in education from the University of Oregon. Upon his return in the early 1970s, he became a leader in community activism. His perspectives on race, civil rights, and social justice initiatives emerge from extended family knowledge and enduring involvement locally and beyond. At the time of his passing in June of 2016, he was the President of the Metropolitan Branch of the NAACP.