Commissioner: Immanuel Jarvis

Agriculturalist and Political Organizer

Immanuel Jarvis and his family moved to Durham in 2000. Since his arrival, he has served continuously by improving the lives of the citizens through acts of service to young people, servant leadership in the political arena, and innovations that inspire African Americans. In 2009, he took the helm of a local, privately held +/- 750-member athletic association and within two years increased its revenue, offered more sports, enhanced the facility, and promoted character development through sports as its theme in East Durham.

Mr. Jarvis was then introduced to the Durham County GOP and worked along other leaders to form the Black Republican Committee for the Durham GOP. Here, he worked to display authentic Conservatism in the black community through food drives, coat drives, back-to-school drives, and created forums where political diversity could be offered with decorum and mutual respect. Immanuel Jarvis had a successful run for leadership and became Chairman of the Durham GOP in March of 2015. He became the second African American to hold this position. In 2021, he was elected to become the Chairman of the GOP 4th Congressional District, overseeing Alamance, Granville, Orange, Durham, and Person County parties. Today, Chairman Jarvis serves in both capacities concurrently.

Mr. Jarvis also supports the community by serving as a Commissioner of the Durham County Agriculture Advisory Committee. The Committee’s responsibilities include offering programing and guidance to the NC Cooperative Extension in Durham County.

Immanuel Jarvis and his wife are owners and farmers at Jireh Family Farm, LLC, a family operation that produces various local proteins on their four-acre homestead. Since the farm’s inception in 2017, they have converted their property into a busy agritourism destination by creating a small country store, offering youth field trips, farm experiences, classes, summer camps, and farm-to-table dinners. Their newly formed 501(c)3, Jireh Farm Foundation, works in tandem with the farm by inspiring, educating, and activating shareholders to practice self-reliance, community building, and land stewardship through farming, especially among people of color.