James Townsend was born at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, as the second child of Helen M. Slaughter, with one older sister and one younger sister. His father, a Sergeant in the Army, traveled frequently. After moving to Alabama, his parents separated. His mother fell in love with another man and had nine more children. They lived in one of the largest and most dangerous housing projects in town.
Growing up in the projects was challenging. James's stepfather was a hardwork- ing man, and his mother did her best to raise them. Life in the projects taught James many hard lessons, including the value of education. Realizing its impor. tance, he completed two educational programs. First, he earned a degree in Cabinet Making, and later, an Associate of Science degree in Business Adminis tration. However, his true passion was cooking.
James pursued a career in the culinary field, working in various restaurants for over thirty years. He eventually became a Chef at one of the biggest hotel restaurants in town. James is grateful to God for showing him mercy, as those who knew him as a child remember him as a troublesome kid.