At the behest of black community leaders , Winters ran for an at-large seat in the Raleigh City Council in May 1961 . Facing 13 other candidates , he placed sixth with 6,168 votes , thus securing one of the seven seats and becoming the first black person to serve on the council since 1900 . Governor Sanford frequently sought his advice on race relations and civil rights issues . When a dispute arose over segregated movie theaters in North Carolina , Sanford sent him to Washington D.C. to discuss the matter with United States Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy . He was a member of the " Oval Table Gang " , an informal group of community leaders that met in Ralph Campbell Jr. 's home to discuss strategies to desegregate Raleigh schools , plan demonstrations , and assist black candidates for public office . On January 18 , 1963 , the governor appointed him to the 24-man Good Neighbors Council , a committee tasked with promoting youth employment and desegregationist business practices . He pressured Sanford to call for S&W Cafeteria to integrate its restaurants . In the spring he helped mediate between black protesters and community activists and Mayor William G. Enloe , who were in a dispute over segregated cinemas operated by the latter . In May he accompanied a group of student protesters to the Governor 's Mansion to express their grievances about racial segregation . When civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. visited Raleigh in 1966 , Winter was sent by the city to receive him at the airport . Winters chaired the council 's Public Works Committee , and developed and implemented a plan which used state funds to pave neglected streets in black neighborhoods . He served out three terms , leaving the city council in 1967 to give more attention to his business . In 1969 Jim Hunt placed him on a commission tasked with rewriting the rules of the state chapter of the Democratic Party . From 1964 until 1970 he served as vice chairman of the Wake County chapter of the party . He served as a delegate at the 1972 Democratic National Convention
1972 Democratic National Convention
1972 Democratic National Convention
John W. Winters