Carolyn Tyler Guidry facts for kids

Carolyn Tyler Guidry is a very important leader in the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME Church). She made history as the first woman to be a "presiding elder" in her church's Fifth District. This means she was in charge of many churches in that area. She also became the second woman ever to be a bishop in the AME Church. A bishop is a high-ranking leader who oversees many churches and ministers.

About Bishop Carolyn Tyler Guidry

Early Life and Education

Carolyn Tyler Guidry was born on August 25, 1937, in Jackson, Mississippi. She went to J.P. Campbell College, where she studied business. After college, she started working for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). This group works to make sure everyone has equal rights. She even helped people register to vote.

Later, in 1964, she moved to California and worked at Security Pacific Bank for 12 years.

Starting Her Ministry

In 1977, Carolyn felt called to serve in the church. She went to the Los Angeles Bible School to study ministry. That same year, she became an "itinerant Elder." This means she was a minister who could travel and preach.

Her first church was the First African Methodist Episcopal Church in Indio, California. As the pastor, she helped fix up the church building and the minister's house. She also helped create a day care center for children.

In 1983, she became the pastor of Cain Memorial A.M.E. Church in Bakersfield, California. She served there for five years.

Breaking Barriers in Leadership

In 1989, Carolyn Tyler Guidry made history again. She became the first woman to lead a large city church, the Walker Temple A.M.E. Church in Los Angeles. This church had 600 members!

Then, in 1994, she became the first woman to be a "presiding elder" in the Fifth Episcopal District. In this role, she was responsible for overseeing 19 churches in Los Angeles.

Carolyn wanted to become a bishop, a very important leader in the church. She ran for bishop in 1996 and 2000. Even though she didn't win those times, her efforts showed everyone that women could be leaders too. In 2000, another amazing woman, Vashti Murphy McKenzie, became the first woman bishop in the A.M.E. Church.

Finally, in July 2004, Carolyn Tyler Guidry was elected as the second woman bishop in the A.M.E. Church! That same year, she earned a master's degree in theology from Fuller Theological Seminary.

Serving as Bishop

After becoming a bishop, she was sent to lead the 16th Episcopal District. This district included countries like Suriname, Guyana, Jamaica, Cuba, and even London, England. Soon after she started, a big storm called Hurricane Ivan hit the area, especially Jamaica. This made her first few months as bishop very busy and challenging.

In 2008, at a big church meeting, she was appointed to lead the 8th Episcopal District. This district covers the U.S. states of Louisiana and Mississippi. She served there until she retired in 2012.

Community Involvement

Besides her work in the church, Bishop Tyler Guidry has always been active in her community. She helped many non-profit groups. She was the secretary for the board of the John F. Kennedy Hospital in Indio. She also served as president of the Riverside County Board of Mental Health. She was also the treasurer for a national group called One Church One Child. She is also a member of the Sigma Gamma Rho sorority, a group focused on community service.

Bishop Tyler Guidry is a mother of six children, a grandmother of thirteen, and a great-grandmother of eleven. Her first husband, Cary B. Tyler, passed away in 1988. Her second husband, Donovan Guidry, who was a retired Army officer, passed away in 2007.