Buford F. Gordon facts for kids
Buford F. Gordon (born August 21, 1893 – died 1952) was an important African American leader. He was a civil rights activist, a church leader (called a clergyman), and a social scientist. A social scientist studies how people live in groups and societies.
Gordon earned a special degree in religion from the University of Chicago. He first served as a pastor at the African Methodist Episcopal Church in South Bend. In 1931, he became the national Editor of Church Literature for his church. Later, he was chosen to be a bishop, a high-ranking church official, first in 1944 and then for another district.
Gordon became interested in social science while in college. As a pastor in South Bend, he wrote a book in 1922 called the Negro of South Bend. This book shared the history of Black Americans in that area. Gordon also knew W.E.B DuBois, a famous civil rights leader. He was also part of the leadership team (executive committee) for the NAACP, which is a group that works for equal rights.
Buford Gordon's Early Life and Education
Buford Gordon was born in 1893 in Pulaski, Tennessee. His parents were Aaron and Matilda Gordon. His father owned land and worked as a farmer.
In 1913, Gordon went to Fisk University where he studied chemistry. While there, he became very interested in social sciences. His teacher, George Edmund Haynes, helped him learn about this field. After Fisk, Gordon studied for another year at Yale University.
He then joined the United States Army and became a Second Lieutenant. When he returned home, Gordon went to the University of Chicago to earn a master's degree in religion. During this time, he met and married Thelma Pierce. He also became friends with W.E.B. DuBois.
Gordon's Career and Contributions
In 1919, while still studying in Chicago, Gordon started his own business called Chemical Manufacturing Co. After finishing his degree, he moved to South Bend, Indiana. There, a new African Methodist Episcopal church was being built.
Gordon spent his first few years in South Bend learning about the lives and history of the Black residents. He looked through old newspapers and library records. In 1922, he finished his first book, the Negro of South Bend. Even though some White residents were unhappy about his work, his church was completed in 1924. People in his church loved him for his good advice and thoughtful sermons.
In 1925, Gordon decided to leave South Bend. He wanted to "Do better in some other town." He became a pastor at the Greater Wesley Temple of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Akron, Ohio, where he stayed for six years.
Gordon wrote more books, including Pastor and People in 1930 and Teaching for Abundant Learning six years later. In 1936, he was elected Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1944, he was elected Bishop again, this time for the tenth district. In the later part of his life, Gordon was an important member of the NAACP's executive committee, helping to guide the organization's work for civil rights.
