Across the long span of eight decades, the evil of the Ku Klux Klan has been successfully challenged and defeated by James S. Scofield and his family.  From Indiana in the 1920’s to Georgia in the 1990’s, the battle has been waged politically and legally.  His immigrant father and uncles played key roles in crushing the KKK in Indiana at the ballot box.  James crippled the hooded terrorists by vigorously supporting anti-mask legislation upheld by the Georgia Supreme Court during his tenure as Supreme President of the Order of Ahepa, the largest Hellenic heritage organization in the world.

   His acclaimed historic article documenting the Klan’s oppression of American Hellenes was published in the Congressional Record in 1997 after appearing in major publications in the United States, Canada, Greece and Cyprus.  Entitled “Forgotten History:  The Klan vs. Americans of Hellenic Heritage In an Era of Hate”,  it was dedicated to the 75^th anniversary of Ahepa, founded in 1922 in Atlanta, then the home of the national KKK headquarters.  It was Scofield’s fourth article to be entered in the Congressional Record.

   A communications expert by profession, Scofield retired from the St. Petersburg Times after more than thirty years in executive positions in editorial research and news.  Previously, he was a reporter and editor for newspapers in Indiana and Illinois.  The winner of numerous prestigious journalism and library awards, his professional articles and speeches have been published worldwide.  He is a recognized pioneer in electronic newspaper library research systems, chairing the international committee which established and published the first standards accepted industry wide.

   Scofield is a Past International Chairman of the News Division of the Special Libraries Association.  In 1987, he won the highest international award in news librarian-ship, the first Floridian and first Hellene to be so honored.  In 1985, he became the first journalist named to the Ahepa Academy of Achievement.

   In the Greek Orthodox Church, he received its highest layman award when Patriarch Athenagoras personally conferred the title of Archon Megas Ekdikos upon him on August 10, 1968 at the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople (Istanbul).  A founding charter parish council member of the St. Stefanos Church of St. Petersburg, he has served on both the Diocesan and Archdiocesan Council levels, particularly as a co-founder of the national Orthodox Observer newspaper and as Chairman of the special commission which conceived, established and implemented the present Archdiocese Department of Communications.

   Prior to attaining the highest office of Ahepa in 1990, Scofield served as Supreme President of the Order of Sons of Pericles, the international youth fraternity of Ahepa.

   Since retiring, Scofield has remained active by serving as Chairman of the Hellenic Heritage Selection Committee of the Ellis Island Medals of Honor Awards, an officer of the Ahepa Hellenic Cultural Commission, President of International Strategist and Editor and President of the American Hellenic International Press Association.

   Scofield is an honors graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-
Champaign with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism, winning the coveted Gold Key for Scholarship.  Born in Cincinnati and married to the former Jessie Axotis of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, a Past District Governor of the Daughters of Penelope, Scofield has been listed in “Who’s Who in America”, “Who’s Who in the Media and Communications”, “Who’s Who Worldwide” and “Who is Who in Free Masonry”.  He is a United States Navy veteran of the Korean conflict.  He and his wife reside in St. Petersburg, Florida.

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