Ed McCartney

Ed McCartney is a longtime South Phoenix resident. He is an active supporter of education, faith, and community in South Phoenix.

McCartney was born in the small segregated town of Doucette, Texas on July 24th, 1948. He grew up with four siblings in a family-oriented home. He pursued his education at Lamar University with a full-ride scholarship. He was 1 out of 5 black students that attended the college. He graduated at age 19 at the school of engineering with Math and Science.

When McCartney was first offered a job in Phoenix, his wife gave him one stipulation. She said before she agreed to move to Phoenix, he had to promise that they would live in a community where she could see at least one other Black person, in order for her to feel comfortable. Once they found a community they liked, they set about finding a church.

One day, McCartney asked a neighbor where he could find a Black church. The neighbor suggested he drive down to Broadway. That day, McCartney discovered Reverend Bernard Black and the South Phoenix Baptist Church.

Over the years, McCartney was an active Phoenix resident. He found ways to influence politics and culture in the Phoenix area, and advocated for others who couldn’t advocate for themselves. He watched as political leaders sought to limit business, resources, and support to Black people in South Phoenix and he sought to combat this ongoing racism.

McCartney always sought to “be in the room” where conversations were happening. In many ways, he was a civil rights leader, though he mainly left the marching and protesting to others, while he used other strategies to affect change. He came to believe that, in order to create a difference, action needs to be taken in the right place, at the right time. 

Over the years, McCartney remained involved at South Phoenix Baptist Church and beyond. He managed the church library and was a close confidante of Reverend Bernard Black until Black passed away in 2021. McCartney also joined the Community Advisory Board of South Mountain Community College, and committed decades to the Students Achieving Radiant Success (STARS) scholarship board at South Mountain Community College.

Ed McCartney Index

Narrator	Ed McCartney
Birthdate	July 24, 1948
Place of Origin	Doucette, Texas
Place of Residence	South Phoenix, Arizona
Years Active in South Phoenix	1967 – Present
Occupation	Educator, Philanthropist
Recording Duration	1:10:22
Date	February 8, 2023
Location	South Mountain Community College
Interviewed By	Student Researchers: Trixie Sabulao, Cassidy Randles
Story Written By	Student Researchers: Trixie Sabulao, Cassidy Randles