African-American Church Inaugural Ball
The Honorees
Keepers of the Flame
To further commemorate this historical moment, the leadership of the churches have selected 25 extraordinary leaders who exemplify untiring strength and commitment to our future. These individuals received the Keepers of the Flame Award.
Bishop John Hurst Adams
Distinguished African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Bishop, minister and educator, John Hurst Adams was born November 27, 1927 in Columbia, South Carolina to Charity Nash Adams, a loving homemaker and Reverend Eugene Avery Adams, an A.M.E. minister and educator.
He credits his parents with providing him and his three siblings with early intellectual stimulation and instilling in them strong lifelong values and religious principles. Adams graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in Columbia, South Carolina and in 1947 earned an A.B. degree in history from Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, North Carolina. Subsequently, he earned his Bachelor of Sacred Theology (S.T.B.) degree and Master of Sacred Theology (S.T.M.) degree from Boston University School of Theology in 1952 and 1956, respectively. Adams also studied at Harvard University and Union Theological Seminary, as well.
Distinguished African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Bishop, minister and educator, John Hurst Adams was born November 27, 1927 in Columbia, South Carolina to Charity Nash Adams, a loving homemaker and Reverend Eugene Avery Adams, an A.M.E. minister and educator.
He credits his parents with providing him and his three siblings with early intellectual stimulation and instilling in them strong lifelong values and religious principles. Adams graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in Columbia, South Carolina and in 1947 earned an A.B. degree in history from Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, North Carolina. Subsequently, he earned his Bachelor of Sacred Theology (S.T.B.) degree and Master of Sacred Theology (S.T.M.) degree from Boston University School of Theology in 1952 and 1956, respectively. Adams also studied at Harvard University and Union Theological Seminary, as well.
Dr. Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou is hailed as one of the great voices of contemporary literature and as a remarkable Renaissance woman. Being a poet, educator, historian, best-selling author, actress, playwright, civil-rights activist, producer and director, Dr. Angelou continues to travel the world making appearances, spreading her legendary wisdom.
A mesmerizing vision of grace, swaying and stirring when she moves, Dr. Angelou captivates her audiences lyrically with vigor, fire and perception. She has the unique ability to shatter the opaque prisms of race and class between reader and subject throughout her books of poetry and her autobiographies.
Dr. Angelou has authored twelve best-selling books including I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, A Song Flung Up to Heaven and Even the Stars Look Lonesome.
In 1981, Dr. Angelou was appointed to a lifetime position as the first Reynolds Professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University.
In January 1993, she became only the second poet in U.S. History to have the honor of writing and reciting original work at the Presidential Inauguration.
Maya Angelou is hailed as one of the great voices of contemporary literature and as a remarkable Renaissance woman. Being a poet, educator, historian, best-selling author, actress, playwright, civil-rights activist, producer and director, Dr. Angelou continues to travel the world making appearances, spreading her legendary wisdom.
A mesmerizing vision of grace, swaying and stirring when she moves, Dr. Angelou captivates her audiences lyrically with vigor, fire and perception. She has the unique ability to shatter the opaque prisms of race and class between reader and subject throughout her books of poetry and her autobiographies.
Dr. Angelou has authored twelve best-selling books including I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, A Song Flung Up to Heaven and Even the Stars Look Lonesome.
In 1981, Dr. Angelou was appointed to a lifetime position as the first Reynolds Professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University.
In January 1993, she became only the second poet in U.S. History to have the honor of writing and reciting original work at the Presidential Inauguration.
Ms. Donna Brazile
Veteran Democratic political strategist Donna Brazile is an adjunct professor, author, and syndicated columnist.
Brazile began her political career at the age of nine when she worked to support the campaign of a city council candidate who promised to build a playground in her neighborhood. Four decades and innumerable state and local campaigns later, she has worked on every presidential campaign from 1976 through 2000, when she served as presidential campaign manager for former Vice President Al Gore.
Author of the best-selling autobiography Cooking with Grease: Stirring the Pots in American Politics, Brazile is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University and a senior lecturer at the University of Maryland. In the media, she serves as a political contributor on CNN; consultant to ABC News; regularly appearing commentator on ABC's, This Week with George Stephanopoulos; and frequent contributor to NPR's, Political Corner. In print and online, she is a columnist for Roll Call and Ms.; and is a content contributor to BlackAmericaWeb.com.
Veteran Democratic political strategist Donna Brazile is an adjunct professor, author, and syndicated columnist.
Brazile began her political career at the age of nine when she worked to support the campaign of a city council candidate who promised to build a playground in her neighborhood. Four decades and innumerable state and local campaigns later, she has worked on every presidential campaign from 1976 through 2000, when she served as presidential campaign manager for former Vice President Al Gore.
Author of the best-selling autobiography Cooking with Grease: Stirring the Pots in American Politics, Brazile is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University and a senior lecturer at the University of Maryland. In the media, she serves as a political contributor on CNN; consultant to ABC News; regularly appearing commentator on ABC's, This Week with George Stephanopoulos; and frequent contributor to NPR's, Political Corner. In print and online, she is a columnist for Roll Call and Ms.; and is a content contributor to BlackAmericaWeb.com.
Mr. Robert J. Brown
Mr. Robert J. Brown is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of B&C Associates, Inc., a management consulting, marketing research and public relations firm headquartered in High Point, North Carolina. Brown, who has been described by the Washington Post as a "world-class power broker," is also the Chairman and CEO of B&C International, Inc., and President of International BookSmart Foundation.
A native of North Carolina, Brown attended North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and Virginia Union University. In 1956, he entered the field of law enforcement, serving first as a local police officer and then as a federal agent with the U.S. Department of the Treasury. He established B&C Associates, Inc., in 1960 and served as President & CEO until 1968 when he took a leave of absence from the company to serve as Special Assistant to President Richard Nixon. He returned as Chairman and CEO of B&C Associates, Inc., in 1973. Brown has recently retired from the boards of AutoNation, Inc., Duke Energy, Wachovia Corporation and Sonoco Products Company.
Numerous colleges, universities and national organizations have honored Brown. He holds ten honorary doctorate degrees and six national achievement awards. He has also been honored as a recipient of the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans Award, the Small Business Administration's Lifetime Achievement Award, the United Way of Greater High Point's 2002 Alexis de Tocqueville Society Award, The High Point Enterprise 2005 Citizen of the Year Award, the U.S. Department of Commerce's Minority Business Development Agency's 2006 Abe Venable Legacy Award for Lifetime Achievement and the U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency's 2007 National Director's Legacy Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Mr. Robert J. Brown is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of B&C Associates, Inc., a management consulting, marketing research and public relations firm headquartered in High Point, North Carolina. Brown, who has been described by the Washington Post as a "world-class power broker," is also the Chairman and CEO of B&C International, Inc., and President of International BookSmart Foundation.
A native of North Carolina, Brown attended North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and Virginia Union University. In 1956, he entered the field of law enforcement, serving first as a local police officer and then as a federal agent with the U.S. Department of the Treasury. He established B&C Associates, Inc., in 1960 and served as President & CEO until 1968 when he took a leave of absence from the company to serve as Special Assistant to President Richard Nixon. He returned as Chairman and CEO of B&C Associates, Inc., in 1973. Brown has recently retired from the boards of AutoNation, Inc., Duke Energy, Wachovia Corporation and Sonoco Products Company.
Numerous colleges, universities and national organizations have honored Brown. He holds ten honorary doctorate degrees and six national achievement awards. He has also been honored as a recipient of the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans Award, the Small Business Administration's Lifetime Achievement Award, the United Way of Greater High Point's 2002 Alexis de Tocqueville Society Award, The High Point Enterprise 2005 Citizen of the Year Award, the U.S. Department of Commerce's Minority Business Development Agency's 2006 Abe Venable Legacy Award for Lifetime Achievement and the U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency's 2007 National Director's Legacy Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole
Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole has a long and distinguished career as an educator and humanitarian. Her work as a college professor and president, her published works, her speeches and her community service consistently address issues of racial, gender and all other forms of discrimination. Much of her work in the interest of equality and social justice is now centered in her role as the Chair of the Board of the Johnnetta B. Cole Global Diversity and Inclusion Institute, founded at Bennett College for Women.
Cole was President emerita of Bennett College for Women and Spelman College from July 2002-May 2007. She is the only individual to have served as the president of the two historically Black colleges for women in the United States. She is also Professor emerita of Emory University from which she retired as Presidential Distinguished Professor of Anthropology, Women's Studies and African American Studies.
Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole has a long and distinguished career as an educator and humanitarian. Her work as a college professor and president, her published works, her speeches and her community service consistently address issues of racial, gender and all other forms of discrimination. Much of her work in the interest of equality and social justice is now centered in her role as the Chair of the Board of the Johnnetta B. Cole Global Diversity and Inclusion Institute, founded at Bennett College for Women.
Cole was President emerita of Bennett College for Women and Spelman College from July 2002-May 2007. She is the only individual to have served as the president of the two historically Black colleges for women in the United States. She is also Professor emerita of Emory University from which she retired as Presidential Distinguished Professor of Anthropology, Women's Studies and African American Studies.
Dr. Marian Wright Edelman
Dr. Marian Wright Edelman was born in and grew up in Bennettsville, South Carolina, one of five children. Her father, Arthur Wright, was a Baptist preacher who taught his children that Christianity required service in this world and who was influenced by A. Phillip Randolph. He died when Marian was only fourteen, urging in his last words to her, "Don't let anything get in the way of your education."
Marian Wright Edelman established the Children's Defense Fund (CDF) in 1973 as a voice for poor, minority and handicapped children. She served as a public speaker on behalf of these children, and also as a lobbyist in Congress, as well as president and administrative head of the organization. The agency served not only as an advocacy organization, but as a research center, documenting the problems and possible solutions to children in need. To keep the agency independent, she saw that it was financed entirely with private funds.
Dr. Marian Wright Edelman was born in and grew up in Bennettsville, South Carolina, one of five children. Her father, Arthur Wright, was a Baptist preacher who taught his children that Christianity required service in this world and who was influenced by A. Phillip Randolph. He died when Marian was only fourteen, urging in his last words to her, "Don't let anything get in the way of your education."
Marian Wright Edelman established the Children's Defense Fund (CDF) in 1973 as a voice for poor, minority and handicapped children. She served as a public speaker on behalf of these children, and also as a lobbyist in Congress, as well as president and administrative head of the organization. The agency served not only as an advocacy organization, but as a research center, documenting the problems and possible solutions to children in need. To keep the agency independent, she saw that it was financed entirely with private funds.
Mrs. Myrlie Evers-Williams
Myrlie Evers-Williams is a native of Vicksburg, Mississippi. She attended Alcorn A&M College, where she met her husband, Medgar Evers. Both were active in the Mississippi office of the NAACP and were leaders in the civil rights movement. Their home was firebombed in 1962, and Mr. Evers was gunned down in his driveway the following year. Thereafter, Ms. Evers and her children moved to Claremont, California, where she enrolled in Pomona College and completed a BA degree in sociology.
In 1987, Evers-Williams was the first African-American woman appointed to serve as commissioner on the Los Angeles Board of Public Works. Evers-Williams was chairman of the NAACP from 1995 to 1998. She is credited with spearheading the operations that restored the association to its original status as the premier civil rights organization in America.
Now a resident of Bend, Oregon, she is the author of two books: For Us, the Living (1967) and Watch Me Fly: What I Learned on the Way to Becoming the Woman I Was Meant to Be (1999).
Myrlie Evers-Williams is a native of Vicksburg, Mississippi. She attended Alcorn A&M College, where she met her husband, Medgar Evers. Both were active in the Mississippi office of the NAACP and were leaders in the civil rights movement. Their home was firebombed in 1962, and Mr. Evers was gunned down in his driveway the following year. Thereafter, Ms. Evers and her children moved to Claremont, California, where she enrolled in Pomona College and completed a BA degree in sociology.
In 1987, Evers-Williams was the first African-American woman appointed to serve as commissioner on the Los Angeles Board of Public Works. Evers-Williams was chairman of the NAACP from 1995 to 1998. She is credited with spearheading the operations that restored the association to its original status as the premier civil rights organization in America.
Now a resident of Bend, Oregon, she is the author of two books: For Us, the Living (1967) and Watch Me Fly: What I Learned on the Way to Becoming the Woman I Was Meant to Be (1999).
Dr. John Hope Franklin
Cultural historian Dr. John Hope Franklin was born in Rentiesville, Oklahoma. He graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma and later earned an undergraduate degree from Fisk University. He received his doctorate in history in 1941 from Harvard University.
In the early 1950s, Franklin served on the NAACP Legal Defense Fund team led by Thurgood Marshall that helped develop the sociological case for Brown v. Board of Education. This led to the 1954 United States Supreme Court decision ending the legal segregation of black and white children in public schools.
The John Hope Franklin Collection for African and African-American Documentation resides at the Duke University Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library and contains his personal and professional papers. The archive is one of three academic units named after John Hope Franklin at Duke. The others are the John Hope Franklin Center for Interdisciplinary and International Studies and the Franklin Humanities Institute.
Cultural historian Dr. John Hope Franklin was born in Rentiesville, Oklahoma. He graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma and later earned an undergraduate degree from Fisk University. He received his doctorate in history in 1941 from Harvard University.
In the early 1950s, Franklin served on the NAACP Legal Defense Fund team led by Thurgood Marshall that helped develop the sociological case for Brown v. Board of Education. This led to the 1954 United States Supreme Court decision ending the legal segregation of black and white children in public schools.
The John Hope Franklin Collection for African and African-American Documentation resides at the Duke University Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library and contains his personal and professional papers. The archive is one of three academic units named after John Hope Franklin at Duke. The others are the John Hope Franklin Center for Interdisciplinary and International Studies and the Franklin Humanities Institute.
Mr. Earl Graves, Sr.
Mr. Earl Graves, Sr. was born in Brooklyn, New York and grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of New York City. From 1965 to 1968, Graves served as an administrative assistant to Senator Robert F. Kennedy.
In 1968, Graves started Earl G. Graves, Ltd. Under that holding company, he began the Earl G. Graves Associates management consulting firm. In 1970, the company's Earl G. Graves Publishing Company division began publishing Black Enterprise magazine. Black Enterprise Events is another division of Earl G. Graves, Ltd., which coordinates gatherings for the readers of Black Enterprise.
Graves is a director of Aetna, AMR Corporation, Daimler AG, Federated Department Stores and Rohm and Haas, and is a volunteer on the boards of TransAfrica Inc. and the American Museum of Natural History and Hayden Planetarium in New York City. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of Howard University.
In 2002, Graves was named as one of the 50 most powerful and influential African Americans in corporate America by Fortune magazine. He serves on the George W. Bush administration's Presidential Commission for the National Museum of African American History and Culture. On April 26, 2007 Earl G. Graves Sr. was inducted into the Junior Achievement U.S. Business Hall of Fame. He has been named as a recipient of the 2009 NCAA Silver Anniversary Award.
Mr. Earl Graves, Sr. was born in Brooklyn, New York and grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of New York City. From 1965 to 1968, Graves served as an administrative assistant to Senator Robert F. Kennedy.
In 1968, Graves started Earl G. Graves, Ltd. Under that holding company, he began the Earl G. Graves Associates management consulting firm. In 1970, the company's Earl G. Graves Publishing Company division began publishing Black Enterprise magazine. Black Enterprise Events is another division of Earl G. Graves, Ltd., which coordinates gatherings for the readers of Black Enterprise.
Graves is a director of Aetna, AMR Corporation, Daimler AG, Federated Department Stores and Rohm and Haas, and is a volunteer on the boards of TransAfrica Inc. and the American Museum of Natural History and Hayden Planetarium in New York City. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of Howard University.
In 2002, Graves was named as one of the 50 most powerful and influential African Americans in corporate America by Fortune magazine. He serves on the George W. Bush administration's Presidential Commission for the National Museum of African American History and Culture. On April 26, 2007 Earl G. Graves Sr. was inducted into the Junior Achievement U.S. Business Hall of Fame. He has been named as a recipient of the 2009 NCAA Silver Anniversary Award.
Rev. Dr. William H. Gray, III
Rev. Dr. William H. Gray, III, is founder and chairman of The Amani Group, a strategic partner of The Loeffler Group. Prior to founding the firm, he was the president and CEO of The United Negro College Fund (UNCF), the nation's largest and oldest minority education assistance organization. Before joining UNCF, Mr. Gray represented the Second District of Pennsylvania as a Congressman from 1979 to 1991. He was the first African American in the 20th century to become Majority Whip of the House of Representatives. He also served as chair of the Budget Committee of the House of Representatives. After leaving Congress, he served as the Special Advisor to the President and to the Secretary of State on Haiti during the Clinton administration.
Mr. Gray serves on the Board of Directors of companies that include Dell Inc., JPMorgan Chase, Pfizer, Prudential Financial and the Visteon Corporation. He recently served as Vice Chairman for the Pew Commission on Children in Foster Care, and has served on the United States Holocaust Memorial Council.
Mr. Gray received his B.A. degree from Franklin & Marshall College. He earned an M.A. in divinity from Drew Theological Seminary and an M.A. in theology from Princeton Theological Seminary.
Rev. Dr. William H. Gray, III, is founder and chairman of The Amani Group, a strategic partner of The Loeffler Group. Prior to founding the firm, he was the president and CEO of The United Negro College Fund (UNCF), the nation's largest and oldest minority education assistance organization. Before joining UNCF, Mr. Gray represented the Second District of Pennsylvania as a Congressman from 1979 to 1991. He was the first African American in the 20th century to become Majority Whip of the House of Representatives. He also served as chair of the Budget Committee of the House of Representatives. After leaving Congress, he served as the Special Advisor to the President and to the Secretary of State on Haiti during the Clinton administration.
Mr. Gray serves on the Board of Directors of companies that include Dell Inc., JPMorgan Chase, Pfizer, Prudential Financial and the Visteon Corporation. He recently served as Vice Chairman for the Pew Commission on Children in Foster Care, and has served on the United States Holocaust Memorial Council.
Mr. Gray received his B.A. degree from Franklin & Marshall College. He earned an M.A. in divinity from Drew Theological Seminary and an M.A. in theology from Princeton Theological Seminary.
Bishop Barbara Harris
Retired Bishop Barbara C. Harris holds the distinction of being the first ordained female bishop of the United States Episcopal Church. A native of Philadelphia, she attended Villanova University and studied at the Urban Theology Unit in Sheffield, England. She is also a graduate of the Pennsylvania Foundation for Pastoral Counseling. Ordained to the diaconate in September 1979, she was ordained a priest in 1980.
She served as priest-in-charge of St. Augustine of Hippo Church in Norristown, Penn., from 1980-1984. She also served as chaplain to the Philadelphia County prisons, and as counsel to industrial corporations for public policy issues and social concerns. In 1984, she was named executive director of the Episcopal Church Publishing Company and publisher of The Witness magazine. In 1988, she took on additional duties as interim rector of Philadelphia's Church of the Advocate.
In September 1988, she was elected suffragan (assisting) bishop of the Diocese of Massachusetts. On February 11, 1989, she was consecrated a bishop, the first woman to be ordained to the episcopate in the worldwide Anglican Communion.
Retired Bishop Barbara C. Harris holds the distinction of being the first ordained female bishop of the United States Episcopal Church. A native of Philadelphia, she attended Villanova University and studied at the Urban Theology Unit in Sheffield, England. She is also a graduate of the Pennsylvania Foundation for Pastoral Counseling. Ordained to the diaconate in September 1979, she was ordained a priest in 1980.
She served as priest-in-charge of St. Augustine of Hippo Church in Norristown, Penn., from 1980-1984. She also served as chaplain to the Philadelphia County prisons, and as counsel to industrial corporations for public policy issues and social concerns. In 1984, she was named executive director of the Episcopal Church Publishing Company and publisher of The Witness magazine. In 1988, she took on additional duties as interim rector of Philadelphia's Church of the Advocate.
In September 1988, she was elected suffragan (assisting) bishop of the Diocese of Massachusetts. On February 11, 1989, she was consecrated a bishop, the first woman to be ordained to the episcopate in the worldwide Anglican Communion.
Dr. Dorothy I. Height
After college, Dr. Dorothy I. Height worked as a teacher in the Brownsville Community Center, Brooklyn, New York. She was active in the United Christian Youth Movement after its founding in 1935.
In 1938, Dorothy Height was one of ten young people selected to help Eleanor Roosevelt plan a World Youth Conference. Through Eleanor Roosevelt, she met Mary McLeod Bethune and became involved in the National Council of Negro Women.
Also in 1938, Dorothy Height was hired by the YWCA. She worked for better working conditions for black domestic workers, leading to her election to YWCA national leadership. In her professional service with the YWCA, she was assistant director of the Emma Ransom House in Harlem, and later executive director of the Phillis Wheatley House in Washington, DC.
Dorothy Height became national president of Delta Sigma Theta in 1947 and served until 1957. She remains active in the sorority. In 1957, Dr. Height became national president of NCNW and served until 1998, when she became Chair and President Emerita of the organization.
Dr. Height was one of the few women to participate at the highest levels of the civil rights movement, with such others as A. Philip Randolph, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Whitney Young. At the 1963 March on Washington, she was on the platform when Dr. King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech.
After college, Dr. Dorothy I. Height worked as a teacher in the Brownsville Community Center, Brooklyn, New York. She was active in the United Christian Youth Movement after its founding in 1935.
In 1938, Dorothy Height was one of ten young people selected to help Eleanor Roosevelt plan a World Youth Conference. Through Eleanor Roosevelt, she met Mary McLeod Bethune and became involved in the National Council of Negro Women.
Also in 1938, Dorothy Height was hired by the YWCA. She worked for better working conditions for black domestic workers, leading to her election to YWCA national leadership. In her professional service with the YWCA, she was assistant director of the Emma Ransom House in Harlem, and later executive director of the Phillis Wheatley House in Washington, DC.
Dorothy Height became national president of Delta Sigma Theta in 1947 and served until 1957. She remains active in the sorority. In 1957, Dr. Height became national president of NCNW and served until 1998, when she became Chair and President Emerita of the organization.
Dr. Height was one of the few women to participate at the highest levels of the civil rights movement, with such others as A. Philip Randolph, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Whitney Young. At the 1963 March on Washington, she was on the platform when Dr. King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech.
The Honorable Alexis Herman
Born in Mobile, Alabama, she began her career working for Catholic Charities helping young out-of-school men and women find work in the Pascagoula, Mississippi shipyard. At the age of twenty-nine, President Jimmy Carter's appointment made her the youngest director of the Women's Bureau in the history of the Labor Department. And on May 1, 1997, Alexis M. Herman was sworn in as America's 23rd Secretary of Labor and the first African American ever to lead the United States Department of Labor. She also served as a valued member of the National Economic Council.
As Secretary, she led the effort to institute a global child labor standard; moved people from welfare to work with dignity; and launched the most aggressive unemployed youth initiative since the 1970's. Under her tenure unemployment in the country reached a thirty-year low and the nation witnessed the safest workplace record in the history of the Department of Labor. Alexis Herman's actions as Secretary were a reflection of her understanding of the needs of America's workers and the challenges they faced as this nation approached the 21st Century.
Currently, Ms. Herman serves as chair and chief executive officer of New Ventures, LLC and is the Co-Chair on the Democratic National Committee's Rules and Bylaws Committee. She has continued to lend her expertise and talent to a vast array of corporate enterprises and nonprofit organizations.
Born in Mobile, Alabama, she began her career working for Catholic Charities helping young out-of-school men and women find work in the Pascagoula, Mississippi shipyard. At the age of twenty-nine, President Jimmy Carter's appointment made her the youngest director of the Women's Bureau in the history of the Labor Department. And on May 1, 1997, Alexis M. Herman was sworn in as America's 23rd Secretary of Labor and the first African American ever to lead the United States Department of Labor. She also served as a valued member of the National Economic Council.
As Secretary, she led the effort to institute a global child labor standard; moved people from welfare to work with dignity; and launched the most aggressive unemployed youth initiative since the 1970's. Under her tenure unemployment in the country reached a thirty-year low and the nation witnessed the safest workplace record in the history of the Department of Labor. Alexis Herman's actions as Secretary were a reflection of her understanding of the needs of America's workers and the challenges they faced as this nation approached the 21st Century.
Currently, Ms. Herman serves as chair and chief executive officer of New Ventures, LLC and is the Co-Chair on the Democratic National Committee's Rules and Bylaws Committee. She has continued to lend her expertise and talent to a vast array of corporate enterprises and nonprofit organizations.
Rev. Dr. Benjamin Hooks
Lifelong civil rights activist the Reverend Benjamin Hooks was born in Memphis, Tennessee, on January 31, 1925. At an early age, Hooks was inspired to excel in his education, largely due to the influence of his grandmother. She was the second black woman in the United States to graduate from college. Hooks' education took him to LeMoyne College in Tennessee from 1941 to 1943. That year, he transferred to Howard University and joined the Army. Graduating from Howard in 1944, he went to DePaul University in Chicago for his J.D., completing the program in 1948.
Facing racism everywhere he went, Hooks began to fight to change the problems. After joining the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Hooks was ordained as a minister in 1956 and began preaching in addition to his duties as a lawyer. In 1965 Hooks was appointed to fill a vacancy on the Tennessee criminal court judicial bench, becoming the first African American to serve on the criminal court in Tennessee. Hooks was the first African American on the Federal Communications Commission in 1972. When he left the FCC, he was almost immediately voted in to serve as the executive director of the NAACP, where he served from 1977 until 1992.
Lifelong civil rights activist the Reverend Benjamin Hooks was born in Memphis, Tennessee, on January 31, 1925. At an early age, Hooks was inspired to excel in his education, largely due to the influence of his grandmother. She was the second black woman in the United States to graduate from college. Hooks' education took him to LeMoyne College in Tennessee from 1941 to 1943. That year, he transferred to Howard University and joined the Army. Graduating from Howard in 1944, he went to DePaul University in Chicago for his J.D., completing the program in 1948.
Facing racism everywhere he went, Hooks began to fight to change the problems. After joining the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Hooks was ordained as a minister in 1956 and began preaching in addition to his duties as a lawyer. In 1965 Hooks was appointed to fill a vacancy on the Tennessee criminal court judicial bench, becoming the first African American to serve on the criminal court in Tennessee. Hooks was the first African American on the Federal Communications Commission in 1972. When he left the FCC, he was almost immediately voted in to serve as the executive director of the NAACP, where he served from 1977 until 1992.
Rev. Jesse Jackson
Reverend Jesse Jackson is one of America's foremost political figures. Over the past three decades, he has played a major role in virtually every movement for empowerment, peace, civil rights, gender equality, and economic and social justice. He has been called "the conscience of the nation" and "the great unifier," challenging America to establish just and humane priorities, and bringing people together on common ground across lines of race, class, gender, and belief.
A highly-respected world leader, he has acted many times as an international diplomat in sensitive situations. His two presidential campaigns (1984 and 1988) broke new ground in U.S. politics, building an unprecedented coalition that inspired millions to join the political process. He has worked extensively with youth, encouraging excellence and urging young people to stay away from drugs, and is a major force in the American labor movement. Jackson has received numerous honors for his work in human rights and social justice and has been named 10 times to the Gallup List of the Ten Men Most Respected by Americans.
Reverend Jesse Jackson is one of America's foremost political figures. Over the past three decades, he has played a major role in virtually every movement for empowerment, peace, civil rights, gender equality, and economic and social justice. He has been called "the conscience of the nation" and "the great unifier," challenging America to establish just and humane priorities, and bringing people together on common ground across lines of race, class, gender, and belief.
A highly-respected world leader, he has acted many times as an international diplomat in sensitive situations. His two presidential campaigns (1984 and 1988) broke new ground in U.S. politics, building an unprecedented coalition that inspired millions to join the political process. He has worked extensively with youth, encouraging excellence and urging young people to stay away from drugs, and is a major force in the American labor movement. Jackson has received numerous honors for his work in human rights and social justice and has been named 10 times to the Gallup List of the Ten Men Most Respected by Americans.
Congressman John Lewis
Born in Troy, Alabama, the son of Meline Thas, Lewis was educated at the American Baptist Theological Seminary and at Fisk University, both in Nashville, Tennessee, where he became active in the local sit-in movement. He participated in the Freedom Rides to desegregate the South, and was a national leader in the struggle for civil rights. Lewis became nationally known after his prominent role on the Selma to Montgomery marches, during the first march police attacked the peaceful demonstrators and beat Lewis mercilessly in public, leaving head wounds that are still visible today. At the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom of 1963, Lewis was the youngest speaker.
Lewis first ran for elective office in 1977, when a vacancy occurred in Georgia's 5th District. A special election was called after President Jimmy Carter appointed incumbent Congressman Andrew Young to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Lewis lost the race to Atlanta City Councilman and future Senator Wyche Fowler.
In 1977, Lewis accepted a position with the Carter administration as associate director of ACTION, responsible for running the VISTA program, the Retired Senior Volunteer Program, and the Foster Grandparent Program.
He is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.. He was an influential aide for the Clinton Cabinet, and had regular meetings with the administration.
Born in Troy, Alabama, the son of Meline Thas, Lewis was educated at the American Baptist Theological Seminary and at Fisk University, both in Nashville, Tennessee, where he became active in the local sit-in movement. He participated in the Freedom Rides to desegregate the South, and was a national leader in the struggle for civil rights. Lewis became nationally known after his prominent role on the Selma to Montgomery marches, during the first march police attacked the peaceful demonstrators and beat Lewis mercilessly in public, leaving head wounds that are still visible today. At the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom of 1963, Lewis was the youngest speaker.
Lewis first ran for elective office in 1977, when a vacancy occurred in Georgia's 5th District. A special election was called after President Jimmy Carter appointed incumbent Congressman Andrew Young to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Lewis lost the race to Atlanta City Councilman and future Senator Wyche Fowler.
In 1977, Lewis accepted a position with the Carter administration as associate director of ACTION, responsible for running the VISTA program, the Retired Senior Volunteer Program, and the Foster Grandparent Program.
He is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.. He was an influential aide for the Clinton Cabinet, and had regular meetings with the administration.
Rev. Joseph Lowery
Rev. Joseph Lowery's career in the civil rights movement began in the early 1950s in Mobile, Alabama. After Rosa Parks' arrest in 1955, Lowery helped lead the Montgomery bus boycott. He headed the Alabama Civic Affairs Association, an organization devoted to the desegregation of buses and public places. In 1957, with Martin Luther King, Jr. Lowery founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and subsequently led the organization as its president from 1977 to 1997.
His property was seized in 1959 along with that of other civil rights leaders by the State of Alabama as part of a libel suit. The U.S. Supreme Court ordered the suit reversed. At the request of Martin Luther King Jr., Lowery led the Selma to Montgomery march in 1965. Lowery is a co-founder and former president of the Black Leadership Forum, a consortium of black advocacy groups. The Forum protested Apartheid in South Africa in the mid 1970s until the election of Nelson Mandela. Joseph Lowery was among the first five African Americans to get arrested at the South African Embassy in Washington D.C. during the Free South Africa movement. Lowery served as pastor of Cascade United Methodist Church in Atlanta from (1986-92), adding over a thousand members and leaving the church with ten acres of land. He is now retired but remains active in the civil rights movement.
Rev. Joseph Lowery's career in the civil rights movement began in the early 1950s in Mobile, Alabama. After Rosa Parks' arrest in 1955, Lowery helped lead the Montgomery bus boycott. He headed the Alabama Civic Affairs Association, an organization devoted to the desegregation of buses and public places. In 1957, with Martin Luther King, Jr. Lowery founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and subsequently led the organization as its president from 1977 to 1997.
His property was seized in 1959 along with that of other civil rights leaders by the State of Alabama as part of a libel suit. The U.S. Supreme Court ordered the suit reversed. At the request of Martin Luther King Jr., Lowery led the Selma to Montgomery march in 1965. Lowery is a co-founder and former president of the Black Leadership Forum, a consortium of black advocacy groups. The Forum protested Apartheid in South Africa in the mid 1970s until the election of Nelson Mandela. Joseph Lowery was among the first five African Americans to get arrested at the South African Embassy in Washington D.C. during the Free South Africa movement. Lowery served as pastor of Cascade United Methodist Church in Atlanta from (1986-92), adding over a thousand members and leaving the church with ten acres of land. He is now retired but remains active in the civil rights movement.
Mr. Marc Morial
Selected in May of 2003 as the 8th President and CEO of the nation's largest and oldest civil rights and direct services organization empowering African Americans and other ethnic communities, Morial has helped thrust the League into the forefront of major public policy issues, research and effective community-based solutions.
From Hurricane Katrina and the extension of the Voting Rights Act to creating jobs and housing through effective economic strategies, he is considered one of the nation's foremost experts on a wide range of issues related to cities and their residents. He has also been recognized by the Non-Profit Times as one of America's top 50 non-profit executives and has been named by Ebony Magazine as one of the 100 "Most Influential Blacks in America."
Upon his appointment to the League, Morial established an ambitious five-point empowerment agenda encompassing Education & Youth, Economic Empowerment, Health & Quality of Life, Civic Engagement and Civil Rights & Racial Justice that informs the League's programs, research and advocacy efforts. He created the new quantitative "Equality Index" to effectively measure the disparities in urban communities across these five areas. The index is now a permanent part of the League's annual and much-heralded The State of Black America report.
Prior to joining National Urban League, Morial served two distinguished four-year terms (1994-2002) as Mayor of New Orleans, maintaining a 70% approval rating. During his tenure, crime fell by 60%; a corrupt police department was reformed; and $400 million was appropriated for city infrastructure improvements, including the construction of 15,000 new homes, 200 miles of streets, a new sports arena and the expansion of the convention center. He also brought the NBA's Hornets basketball team to New Orleans and was president of the U. S. Conference of Mayors.
Selected in May of 2003 as the 8th President and CEO of the nation's largest and oldest civil rights and direct services organization empowering African Americans and other ethnic communities, Morial has helped thrust the League into the forefront of major public policy issues, research and effective community-based solutions.
From Hurricane Katrina and the extension of the Voting Rights Act to creating jobs and housing through effective economic strategies, he is considered one of the nation's foremost experts on a wide range of issues related to cities and their residents. He has also been recognized by the Non-Profit Times as one of America's top 50 non-profit executives and has been named by Ebony Magazine as one of the 100 "Most Influential Blacks in America."
Upon his appointment to the League, Morial established an ambitious five-point empowerment agenda encompassing Education & Youth, Economic Empowerment, Health & Quality of Life, Civic Engagement and Civil Rights & Racial Justice that informs the League's programs, research and advocacy efforts. He created the new quantitative "Equality Index" to effectively measure the disparities in urban communities across these five areas. The index is now a permanent part of the League's annual and much-heralded The State of Black America report.
Prior to joining National Urban League, Morial served two distinguished four-year terms (1994-2002) as Mayor of New Orleans, maintaining a 70% approval rating. During his tenure, crime fell by 60%; a corrupt police department was reformed; and $400 million was appropriated for city infrastructure improvements, including the construction of 15,000 new homes, 200 miles of streets, a new sports arena and the expansion of the convention center. He also brought the NBA's Hornets basketball team to New Orleans and was president of the U. S. Conference of Mayors.
General Colin Powell
General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.) became the 65th Secretary of State on January 20, 2001. He brought extensive experience with him to his office. Before becoming Secretary of State, Colin Powell served as a key aide to the Secretary of Defense and as National Security Advisor to President Reagan. He also served 35 years in the United States Army, rising to the rank of Four-Star General and serving as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1989 - 1993). During this time he oversaw 28 crises to include the Panama intervention of 1989 and Operation Desert Storm in the victorious 1991 Persian Gulf War.
Born in New York City on April 5, 1937, General Powell was raised in the South Bronx. General Powell was educated in the New York City public schools, graduating from Morris High School and the City College of New York (CCNY), where he earned a bachelor's degree in geology. He also participated in ROTC at CCNY and received a commission as an Army second lieutenant upon graduation in June 1958. His further academic achievements include a Master of Business Administration degree from George Washington University.
General Powell is the recipient of numerous U.S. military awards and decorations including the Defense Distinguished Service Medal (with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Distinguished Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Soldier's Medal, Bronze Star Medal, and the Purple Heart.
General Powell was the founding Chairman of America's Promise-The Alliance for Youth, a national crusade to improve the lives of our nation's youth. Established at the Presidents' Summit for America's Future in Philadelphia in April of 1997, and endorsed by every living U.S. President, America's Promise aims to ensure all children in America have access to the fundamental resources needed to build and strengthen them to become responsible, productive adults.
General Powell is the author of his best-selling autobiography, My American Journey.
General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.) became the 65th Secretary of State on January 20, 2001. He brought extensive experience with him to his office. Before becoming Secretary of State, Colin Powell served as a key aide to the Secretary of Defense and as National Security Advisor to President Reagan. He also served 35 years in the United States Army, rising to the rank of Four-Star General and serving as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1989 - 1993). During this time he oversaw 28 crises to include the Panama intervention of 1989 and Operation Desert Storm in the victorious 1991 Persian Gulf War.
Born in New York City on April 5, 1937, General Powell was raised in the South Bronx. General Powell was educated in the New York City public schools, graduating from Morris High School and the City College of New York (CCNY), where he earned a bachelor's degree in geology. He also participated in ROTC at CCNY and received a commission as an Army second lieutenant upon graduation in June 1958. His further academic achievements include a Master of Business Administration degree from George Washington University.
General Powell is the recipient of numerous U.S. military awards and decorations including the Defense Distinguished Service Medal (with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Distinguished Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Soldier's Medal, Bronze Star Medal, and the Purple Heart.
General Powell was the founding Chairman of America's Promise-The Alliance for Youth, a national crusade to improve the lives of our nation's youth. Established at the Presidents' Summit for America's Future in Philadelphia in April of 1997, and endorsed by every living U.S. President, America's Promise aims to ensure all children in America have access to the fundamental resources needed to build and strengthen them to become responsible, productive adults.
General Powell is the author of his best-selling autobiography, My American Journey.
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Rev. Della Reese-Lett
Rev. Della Reese-Lett, born in Detroit, Michigan, began singing in her local church as a young child and soon after, at the early age of thirteen, was afforded the opportunity to sing with Mahalia Jackson and her gospel group.
Reese-Lett attended Wayne State University, but was eventually forced to leave and help support her family after the death of her mother.
In her early days, her vocal performances were all gospel related, but Reese-Lett was soon introduced to and influenced by respectable jazz artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Sarah Vaughn. In 1953, she signed a contract with Jubilee Records and joined the Erskine Hawkins Orchestra.
Chart success eventually came with the 1957 release of her fourth single titled "And That Reminds Me" Reese-Lett's record sold over one million copies and made it into the Top Twenty Pop list. Her biggest hit came after she signed with RCA Records in 1957. The single titled "Don't You Know" climbed all the way to the #2 spot on the pop charts. Throughout the 1960's, she continued to release singles and albums while touring across the country. In 1969, her music career was put on the back burner to shoot a variety series, but the show was cancelled after the first season.
In the 1970's, Reese-Lett appeared on several television shows such as "Sanford and Son" and "The House of Yes." After taping a guest show in 1979, she had a near fatal brain aneurism that required her to undergo two neurosurgical operations. Following her recovery, Reese-Lett bounced back and lent her voice to the animated series "A Pup Named Scooby-Doo." She then starred with a group of successful celebrities in the movie titled "Harlem Nights." In 1994, the television drama series "Touched by an Angel" offered Reese-Lett the show's theme song and she was a part of the show for ten years.
Rev. Della Reese-Lett, born in Detroit, Michigan, began singing in her local church as a young child and soon after, at the early age of thirteen, was afforded the opportunity to sing with Mahalia Jackson and her gospel group.
Reese-Lett attended Wayne State University, but was eventually forced to leave and help support her family after the death of her mother.
In her early days, her vocal performances were all gospel related, but Reese-Lett was soon introduced to and influenced by respectable jazz artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Sarah Vaughn. In 1953, she signed a contract with Jubilee Records and joined the Erskine Hawkins Orchestra.
Chart success eventually came with the 1957 release of her fourth single titled "And That Reminds Me" Reese-Lett's record sold over one million copies and made it into the Top Twenty Pop list. Her biggest hit came after she signed with RCA Records in 1957. The single titled "Don't You Know" climbed all the way to the #2 spot on the pop charts. Throughout the 1960's, she continued to release singles and albums while touring across the country. In 1969, her music career was put on the back burner to shoot a variety series, but the show was cancelled after the first season.
In the 1970's, Reese-Lett appeared on several television shows such as "Sanford and Son" and "The House of Yes." After taping a guest show in 1979, she had a near fatal brain aneurism that required her to undergo two neurosurgical operations. Following her recovery, Reese-Lett bounced back and lent her voice to the animated series "A Pup Named Scooby-Doo." She then starred with a group of successful celebrities in the movie titled "Harlem Nights." In 1994, the television drama series "Touched by an Angel" offered Reese-Lett the show's theme song and she was a part of the show for ten years.
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Rev. Al Sharpton
Reverend Al Sharpton is the President and founder of the National Action Network (NAN), and one of Americas most-renowned civil rights leaders. Rev. Sharpton was called "the most prominent civil rights activist in the nation" by the New York Daily News. Whether it was his noteworthy Presidential run as a United States Democratic candidate in 2004, or his compelling speech at the Democratic National Convention in Boston, Massachusetts, Reverend Sharpton has had an irrefutable impact on national politics because of his strong commitment to equality and progressive politics.
As the head of National Action Network, a civil rights organization that currently has over 45 chapters and affiliates throughout the nation, Sharpton has been applauded by both supporters and opponents for challenging the American political establishment to include all people in the dialogue, regardless of race, gender, class or beliefs. Few political figures have been more visible during the last two decades than Sharpton. His daily radio show, "Keeping it Real," has been picked up in more than 40 U.S. markets. Reverend Sharpton also has a TV show on TV One that explores various issues.
Reverend Al Sharpton is the President and founder of the National Action Network (NAN), and one of Americas most-renowned civil rights leaders. Rev. Sharpton was called "the most prominent civil rights activist in the nation" by the New York Daily News. Whether it was his noteworthy Presidential run as a United States Democratic candidate in 2004, or his compelling speech at the Democratic National Convention in Boston, Massachusetts, Reverend Sharpton has had an irrefutable impact on national politics because of his strong commitment to equality and progressive politics.
As the head of National Action Network, a civil rights organization that currently has over 45 chapters and affiliates throughout the nation, Sharpton has been applauded by both supporters and opponents for challenging the American political establishment to include all people in the dialogue, regardless of race, gender, class or beliefs. Few political figures have been more visible during the last two decades than Sharpton. His daily radio show, "Keeping it Real," has been picked up in more than 40 U.S. markets. Reverend Sharpton also has a TV show on TV One that explores various issues.
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Dr. Gardner C. Taylor
Dr. Gardner Calvin Taylor is an influential American preacher, noted for his eloquence and deep understanding of Christian faith and theology and known as "the dean of American preaching". Taylor was a close friend and mentor to Martin Luther King Jr. and played a prominent role in the religious leadership of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.
Taylor received the Presidential Medal of Freedom on August 9, 2000, awarded by President Bill Clinton.
Gardner Taylor was born in 1918 in Baton Rouge, the grandson of former slaves, and grew up in the segregated South of the early 20th century. He graduated from the Oberlin College School of Theology in 1940, and began a lifetime of preaching and civil rights activism.
Taylor was pastor of the Concord Baptist Church of Christ in Brooklyn, New York for 42 years, before retiring in 1990. During this time he helped to found the Progressive National Baptist Convention with Martin Luther King Jr., providing an important base of support for King's civil rights work.
More than 2,000 of Taylor's sermons are archived, and recordings of many of them are available in collections such as The Words of Gardner Taylor: 50 years of timeless treasures.
Dr. Gardner Calvin Taylor is an influential American preacher, noted for his eloquence and deep understanding of Christian faith and theology and known as "the dean of American preaching". Taylor was a close friend and mentor to Martin Luther King Jr. and played a prominent role in the religious leadership of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.
Taylor received the Presidential Medal of Freedom on August 9, 2000, awarded by President Bill Clinton.
Gardner Taylor was born in 1918 in Baton Rouge, the grandson of former slaves, and grew up in the segregated South of the early 20th century. He graduated from the Oberlin College School of Theology in 1940, and began a lifetime of preaching and civil rights activism.
Taylor was pastor of the Concord Baptist Church of Christ in Brooklyn, New York for 42 years, before retiring in 1990. During this time he helped to found the Progressive National Baptist Convention with Martin Luther King Jr., providing an important base of support for King's civil rights work.
More than 2,000 of Taylor's sermons are archived, and recordings of many of them are available in collections such as The Words of Gardner Taylor: 50 years of timeless treasures.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu
The name Desmond Tutu resonates richly with people all across the world. While his vigorous anti-apartheid activism in his native South Africa first propelled him into the glare of international news media, today he is revered as a "moral voice" and someone who speaks with gravitas on a range of issues. While he is an Anglican Archbishop emeritus and thus unflinching in his religious beliefs, Tutu also places great value on religious inclusiveness and interfaith dialogue.
Born in Klerksdorp, near Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1931, Tutu initially followed in his father's footsteps and obtained teaching qualifications. However, following the introduction of Bantu education in 1958, he decided to enter the ministry. He was ordained to the priesthood in Johannesburg three years later. Following further theological studies in London, Tutu held several positions in teaching and theological work in South and Southern Africa. Then, in 1978, he was persuaded to leave his job as Bishop of Lesotho to become the new General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches (SACC). It was in this position, which he held until 1985, that Tutu became a national and international figure.
Tutu has been visiting professor at several overseas universities, and he has also published several books.
The name Desmond Tutu resonates richly with people all across the world. While his vigorous anti-apartheid activism in his native South Africa first propelled him into the glare of international news media, today he is revered as a "moral voice" and someone who speaks with gravitas on a range of issues. While he is an Anglican Archbishop emeritus and thus unflinching in his religious beliefs, Tutu also places great value on religious inclusiveness and interfaith dialogue.
Born in Klerksdorp, near Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1931, Tutu initially followed in his father's footsteps and obtained teaching qualifications. However, following the introduction of Bantu education in 1958, he decided to enter the ministry. He was ordained to the priesthood in Johannesburg three years later. Following further theological studies in London, Tutu held several positions in teaching and theological work in South and Southern Africa. Then, in 1978, he was persuaded to leave his job as Bishop of Lesotho to become the new General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches (SACC). It was in this position, which he held until 1985, that Tutu became a national and international figure.
Tutu has been visiting professor at several overseas universities, and he has also published several books.
Rev. Wyatt Tee Walker, Sr.
Rev. Dr. Wyatt Tee Walker enjoys an well established record as pastor/theologian, civil rights leader, and cultural historian. He is a double graduate of Virginia Union University (VUU Undergraduate Studies class of '50 and The Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology, '53), and holds a doctorate from Rochester Theological Center. His graduate studies and research have taken him to the University of Ife in Nigeria and the University of Ghana. An exhibiting artist as well as a composer of sacred music, the Rev. Jesse Jackson has called him "Harlem's Renaissance Man" because of his multiple gifts and varied careers.
Widely traveled, he is regarded internationally as a human rights activist.
Wyatt was the first African-American to meet with Chairman Yasir Arafat since the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip and Jericho, both occurrences underscoring his involvement as an antiapartheid activist and an advocate for Palestinian self-determination.
As a member of the international religious community, he has preached on every continent with the exception of Australia. He is a church historian and prolific author having published many books. He is also considered the nation's leading authority on the music of the African-American Church.
His experience in government was via ten years of service as Urban Affairs Specialist to Governor Nelson Rockefeller's troubleshooter, quieting racial tensions that accompanied school desegregation and labor disputes.
Rev. Dr. Wyatt Tee Walker enjoys an well established record as pastor/theologian, civil rights leader, and cultural historian. He is a double graduate of Virginia Union University (VUU Undergraduate Studies class of '50 and The Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology, '53), and holds a doctorate from Rochester Theological Center. His graduate studies and research have taken him to the University of Ife in Nigeria and the University of Ghana. An exhibiting artist as well as a composer of sacred music, the Rev. Jesse Jackson has called him "Harlem's Renaissance Man" because of his multiple gifts and varied careers.
Widely traveled, he is regarded internationally as a human rights activist.
Wyatt was the first African-American to meet with Chairman Yasir Arafat since the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip and Jericho, both occurrences underscoring his involvement as an antiapartheid activist and an advocate for Palestinian self-determination.
As a member of the international religious community, he has preached on every continent with the exception of Australia. He is a church historian and prolific author having published many books. He is also considered the nation's leading authority on the music of the African-American Church.
His experience in government was via ten years of service as Urban Affairs Specialist to Governor Nelson Rockefeller's troubleshooter, quieting racial tensions that accompanied school desegregation and labor disputes.