James Lee Richard

”Mr. J Disco”

Mar. 31, 1956-Nov. 15, 2023

James Lee Richard was an outgoing man with a vision. He ran track in high school and broke records with his time, that is where he gained the nickname” cheetah”.

In 1976, he was involved in a fatal car crash, and was paralyzed from the waist down but that did not stop his vison.

He wanted to own a night club in Atlanta, Texas where people could dance, shoot pool and enjoy themselves. His dream came true in 1988 after he purchased some land on Farm Road 2791 and built his club, Mr. J’s Disco. It had a dance floor with a disco light in the middle, pool tables and a bar.

He obtained his liquor license and the building had soundproofed walls with a DJ stand. James drove his 1988 Lincoln town car himself with hand controls and parked right in front. The club cost him $100,000 to get going. Out of all the little juke joints we had, in town, this one was “Top Notch” of them all. He was the only African American to own a club of the prestige in Cass County, Texas. He brought people together from all areas. There were no fights or gun play ever while he was open. The club began to get complaints, threats and police harassment.

It made the business slow down. James sold the club, and later became “The Wooden Indian”. James went to college and got his jewelers license and opened a store in Texarkana, Texas. He never stopped living life. He also had rent houses.

His health started to fail, but he did get to live out his vison in life. James’s father worked for some doctors in Atlanta for years and he named his twins after them, James and Jessie.

Jessie was a girl and she passed away a month later.