David Kirk (activist) facts for kids

Davey "David" Kirk (March 12, 1935 – May 23, 2007) was an American priest and a strong supporter of civil rights and helping people in need. He started a special place called Emmaus House in New York City. David grew up as a Baptist, but later became a member of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church and then the Orthodox Church in America before he passed away.

Who Was David Kirk?

Growing Up and Learning

David Kirk was born in Louisville, Mississippi. His first name was Davey, but he didn't like it. When he was 12, he became friends with a Black man named Clint who worked for his father. Clint was accused of a serious crime. David believed Clint was innocent and brought him food every day while Clint was hiding. Clint eventually escaped to another state.

Later, David was the editor of his high school newspaper in Mobile, Alabama. He got permission to attend a local Black high school for a month. He told officials he was writing an article about the education of Black students. But his real reason, his family said, was to experience life for Black people in the Jim Crow South. This was a time when laws kept Black and white people separate.

David later wrote, "I came out of that school shocked and ready to make changes."

In 1953, David started at the University of Alabama. He was inspired by a Catholic chaplain on campus who was against segregation (keeping people separate by race). That year, David became a Catholic. He earned his degree in social science in 1957. A few years later, he moved to New York to work with Dorothy Day at the Catholic Worker House. He earned a master's degree in social thought from Columbia University in 1964. He became a Melkite priest that same year.

Becoming a Priest

After becoming a priest, Kirk returned to Alabama during the civil rights movement. He was even jailed with Martin Luther King Jr. at least once. Later, he came back to New York. He wanted to start a shared home for people without homes on the Lower East Side. But Dorothy Day, who was a mentor to him, told him to go to Harlem instead, because the need was greater there. That's how Emmaus House began.

In 1969, David Kirk wrote a book called Quotations from Chairman Jesus. It became very popular. The book showed that Jesus' teachings and early Christianity were about sharing and community. Kirk wrote that the Church should always put the needs of people who are struggling first. He believed that money and property should be shared by everyone.

Emmaus House: A Home for All

David Kirk started Emmaus House in the mid-1960s on East 116th Street in Manhattan, New York. It wasn't just a shelter; it was a community for people experiencing homelessness. It was inspired by the Emmaus movement in France, which helped poor people after World War II.

Emmaus House later moved to 160 West 120th Street. In the mid-1980s, it moved again to the former Charles Hotel on Lexington Avenue at 124th Street in Harlem. Kirk's program provided long-term housing for over 70 people. Its kitchen served 500 lunches every day. It also offered programs like teaching job skills and providing health support. Every person living there, including Kirk himself, received the same weekly payment ($25).

After 2001, Emmaus House moved back to its earlier spot on West 120th Street. This location can house up to 15 people.

Later Life and Faith

In 2004, near the end of his life, Kirk joined the Eastern Orthodox faith. He became part of the Orthodox Church in America (which is connected to the Russian Orthodox Church). He remained a priest. He also worked with Dr. Albert J. Raboteau, a history professor who had also changed from Catholicism to Orthodoxy.

David Kirk's Legacy

After a time of health problems, David Kirk passed away in his sleep at age 72. As he wished, he was buried near his longtime mentor, Dorothy Day, in Staten Island.

After his death, there was some worry about the future of Emmaus House. But it soon began a new period of growth and success, continuing David Kirk's mission to help others.