Dr. Charlie James Barnes Ph.D.

Dr. Charlie James Barnes, Ph.D., a native of Greenville, NC, was born on August 23, 1930, to the late Richard Barnes and Expaulina Midgette Barnes. As a youth, Dr. Barnes attended school in North Carolina and in Norfolk, VA. He graduated from Booker T. Washington High School, where he excelled in his academic studies and was a member of the band. Upon graduation from high school, Dr. Barnes entered Virginia Union University where he majored in Chemistry, graduating with honors in 1951, with a B.S. Degree in Chemistry. Dr. Barnes attended graduate school at Virginia State College, which is now Virginia State University, where he completed the requirements for his master’s degree in chemistry. His academic studies ceased while serving his country during the Korean War, where he received an honorable discharge. Dr. Barnes relocated to Washington, D.C. and attended Howard University where he excelled in Chemistry in the Doctoral Studies Program. He was awarded a Ph.D. degree in Analytical Chemistry. On May 25, 1969, Dr. Barnes married Claudelia Sweat Clarke of Richmond, Virginia, who preceded him in death after 46 years of marriage. Prior to his marriage to Claudelia, he married Reathea E. McGarrah, and from this union one daughter, Karyn L. Barnes, was born. His first marriage to Jaqueline E. King blessed him with one son, Hartley M. Barnes. Dr. Barnes and his wife, Claudelia, joined the Southminster Presbyterian Church in 1970 after moving to Prince George’s County, Maryland. He, alongside his wife, served as elders, and in other capacities at their church. Dr. Barnes demonstrated his incredible skills as a master carpenter by leading the architectural design and enlargement of the Southminster Church campus. Dr. Barnes was an active member of many organizations in Washington, DC, including his beloved Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated, The National Pan-Hellenic Council, The Chemical Society of Washington, (the local American Chemical Society section for the Washington, DC area), and The D.C. Metropolitan Organization of Black Scientists (OBS), to name a few. As a prominent chemist at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, (FDA) in Washington, D.C., Dr. Barnes became well-known and highly respected for his analytical methods supporting the scientific discipline of “Veterinary Medical Research and Food Safety.” Dr. Barnes authored multiple scientific papers including, “Automated Instrumentation”, and “Drug Residue Detection,” that were published. Additionally, he is recognized as a key figure in the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine, (CVM), where he authored and co-authored numerous studies on the detection and quantification of Veterinary Drugs in edible tissues. A significant portion of Dr. Barnes’ research involved the rigorous validation of methods using, “High Performance Liquid Chromatography,” (HPLC) and Gas Chromatography, (GC) which are now standard in analytical laboratories. Dr. Barnes’ primary research directly upheld the FDA’s mission to evaluate new animal drugs for food safety and human consumption. His extensive research was ensuring that residues remaining in food-producing animals did not exceed established acceptable daily intake (ADI) limits. As Director of the Division of Veterinary Medical Research, for the FDA, his legacy in the study of food producing animals is still a key component of the current FDA standards on food safety. Dr. Barnes is survived by his daughters: Mrs. Deborah Clarke- Hall, (McLavern); Mrs. Dalerie C. Williams, (Carl); Mrs. Delia C. Pitchford, (Rudolph, deceased); Ms. Karyn L. Barnes; Mrs. Dawn C. Cobb, (Courtney); Mrs. Diedria C. Williams, (Darryl), and son Mr. Hartley M. Barnes, (Pamela). He was the proud grandfather of Mrs. Claudelia W. Davis, (Tremain); Atty. Christina W. Quant, (Desmond); Mr. Sean B.J. Smith Jr., (Renesha); Mr. Marcus A. Williams, (Lamone); Mr. Jonathan K. Williams, (Taylar); Mrs. Courtney C. Sutton, (Cameron); Ms. Candace E. Cobb; and Mr. Christopher A. Barnes. In addition to his grandchildren, he is survived by his great-grandchildren: Najiya Quant; Tau Quant; Zipporah Quant; Nzinga Quant; Aniya Davis; Imani Davis; Tremaine Davis; Sean B. J. Smith III; Mackenzie Smith; Makai Williams; Skai Williams; Mila Williams; Gideon Sutton and a host of other relatives and friends.

Tributes

Dr. Charlie James Barnes Ph.D.

August 23, 1930 - March 11, 2026