Alexander Preston Shaw facts for kids

Alexander Preston Shaw (born April 8, 1879 – died March 7, 1966) was an important African-American pastor, editor, and bishop in the Methodist Church. He was chosen to be a bishop in 1936. Bishop Shaw was the first African-American bishop of the Methodist Church to lead a conference that was mostly white. This happened in 1950 when he was 71 years old, at the Southern California-Arizona Conference.

Early Life and Family

Alexander Shaw was born on April 18, 1879, in Abbeville, Mississippi. He was the eighth of eleven children. His parents, Duncan Preston and Maria Shaw, had been slaves. His father was also a minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church, just like Alexander's older brother, J. Beverly F. Shaw.

In 1911, Alexander married Lottye Blanche Simon. They had several children: Alexander Preston Jr., Bernard Johnson, twins Lena Anita and Bessie Elaine, Helen Marguerite, and Wilbur Allen.

His Education Journey

Alexander Shaw worked hard on his education. He earned his first degree, a Bachelor of Arts (A.B.), from Rust College in 1902. Later, he earned a Bachelor of Divinity (B.D.) degree from Gammon Theological Seminary in 1906. He also continued his studies at Boston University.

Starting His Ministry and Editing Career

Alexander Shaw first thought about becoming a public school teacher. However, he decided to join the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1908. He became an elder (a type of minister) in 1910.

Reverend Shaw served as a pastor in several places:

• Westminster, Maryland (1908–1909)
• Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (1909–1911)
• Winchester, Virginia (1911–1915)
• Little Rock, Arkansas (1915–1917)
• The Wesley Chapel Methodist Church in Los Angeles (1917–1931)

He also became the elected editor of the Southwestern Christian Advocate. This was an important newspaper for his church. He worked as editor from 1931 to 1936. During this time, he helped the newspaper grow its readers from about 5,000 to 9,000. The newspaper's office was in New Orleans. He also wrote many articles about religious topics for different publications.

Leading as a Bishop

In 1936, Alexander Shaw was chosen to be a bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church. This is the highest leadership role in the Methodist ministry. He was first assigned to the New Orleans area from 1936 to 1940.

Then, from 1940 to 1952, he was the resident bishop for the Baltimore area. In this role, he led several Annual Conferences, including those in Delaware, East Tennessee, North Carolina, and Washington, D.C.. These conferences included about 1,300 African-American Methodist churches and around 100,000 church members.

Bishop Shaw also served on important church committees. These included the Board of Education and the Board of Missions.

Connecting with Young People

Bishop Shaw was known as a brilliant preacher. He was especially good at connecting with young people. He once said about his church in Los Angeles, "My Church was not filled with bald-headed people. We had regularly as many as 200 to 300 youngsters attending services."

He would sometimes invite a talented boy or girl to speak with him from the pulpit. They would talk about how to make the church even more interesting for young people.

Champion for Equality

Bishop Shaw strongly believed in self-improvement for African Americans. He felt that showing "real excellence" was the best way to make progress. He often mentioned people like Marian Anderson, Dr. Carver, and Jackie Robinson as examples of excellence.

He believed that African Americans should "take on responsibilities." He said, "If you don't have responsibilities, you don't grow strong enough to handle them."

Special Honors

Many colleges honored Bishop Shaw with special degrees:

• Philander Smith College gave him a Doctor of Divinity degree in 1916.
• Rust College honored him with a Doctor of Divinity degree in 1920 and a Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) in 1937.
• Gammon Theological Seminary gave him a Doctor of Divinity degree in 1924.
• Boston University awarded him a Doctor of Divinity degree in 1937.

Later Years and Legacy

Bishop Shaw retired from his active role as bishop in 1952. However, he was asked to return to serve part of the New Orleans Area in 1953 after another bishop passed away. He continued in this role until 1956.

Alexander Preston Shaw passed away on March 7, 1966. He is buried in Los Angeles.

Selected Writings

• Christianizing Race Relations, 1928.

See also

• List of bishops of the United Methodist Church