James Cox Chambers Jr. (born c. 1985),[1] also known as Fergie Chambers, is an American heir and political activist. He is a member of the Cox family, which derives its wealth from Cox Enterprises.
Early life and education[edit]
Chambers is the son of James Cox Chambers and Lauren Hamilton; the Cox family control Cox Enterprises.[2] He spent his childhood in Brooklyn, New York, primarily with his mother, as his parents divorced when he was young.[3][2] After attending Saint Ann's School, Chambers was admitted to Bard College, but dropped out before completing a degree.[3] He subsequently worked for a year at Manheim Auctions, a company owned by his family, as a management trainer.[3][2] Chambers owned a portion of Cox Enterprises until divesting from the company in 2023, resulting in a payout estimated by Rolling Stone of at least $250 million.[4]
Activism[edit]
Cox describes himself as a Communist and has provided funding for far-left causes and activists, such as paying legal fees for others.[1] In Massachusetts, he founded a group called the Berkshire Communists, which identifies itself as a "revolutionary Marxist-Leninist collective"; his title is general secretary.[5][6][2] Chambers also opened a gym called the Berkshire People's Gym which was closed to "landlords and capitalists", among others.[6] His property purchases in the Berkshires have been described as forming a "commune" by Mother Jones.[3] In Georgia, Chambers has provided financial support for members of the Stop Cop City movement.[3][7]
Chambers is a supporter of Hamas; he has described the October 7th attack launched by Hamas into Israel as "a moment of hope and inspiration".[3][6]
Personal life[edit]
Chambers was first married to a Russian woman whom he met at Bard. They lived in Russia for some time after 2008, and have three children together.[3][2][4] Chambers and his second wife met in Atlanta after his return from Russia. In 2013, Chambers was arrested for domestic battery and false imprisonment of his wife, although he was not prosecuted; they divorced after 2020.[3][2][4] In February 2024, he married Stella Schnabel, daughter of filmmaker Julian Schnabel; they have a son together.[3][4] He has four children in total.[2]
Chambers is a practicing Muslim and currently resides in Tunis, Tunisia.[4] Chambers previously lived in New Hampshire and the Berkshires region of Massachusetts.[1][8] His wealth is self-reported to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars.[1]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d McPhee, Michele (2023-10-27). "Cox Family Fortune Heir: 'I Chant Death to America Every Day'". LAMag. Archived from the original on 2024-03-23. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
- ^ a b c d e f g Weiss, Suzy (4 December 2023). "He's Got $250 Million to Spend on Communist Revolution". The Free Press. Archived from the original on 2024-03-22. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Butler, Kiera (2024-03-21). "There's a Communist Multimillionaire Fomenting Revolution in Atlanta". Mother Jones. Archived from the original on 2024-03-27. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
- ^ a b c d e Peisner, David (2024-03-24). "Fergie Chambers Is Heir to One of America's Richest Families — and Determined to See the U.S. Fall". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2024-03-27. Retrieved 2024-03-27.
- ^ Bellow, Heather (2023-12-12). "Has Fergie Chambers shut down the Berkshire Communists' 'gym' as ordered by Alford officials? It remains unclear". The Berkshire Eagle. Archived from the original on 2024-03-26. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
- ^ a b c Bellow, Heather (2023-11-16). "Young. Communist. Gun-owner. Multimillionaire. Pro-Palestine. Pro-Hamas. Berkshire landowner. Meet James 'Fergie' Chambers". The Berkshire Eagle. Archived from the original on 2024-01-09. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
- ^ Wheatley, Thomas (19 July 2023). ""Stop Cop City" petition drive backed by big bucks". Axios. Archived from the original on 23 March 2024. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
- ^ Bellow, Heather (2024-01-09). "Alford has shut down Fergie Chambers' communist gym for permit breach". The Berkshire Eagle. Archived from the original on 2024-03-26. Retrieved 2024-03-29.