Earl Stallings facts for kids

Earl Stallings was an American Baptist minister and activist. He played a role in the Civil Rights Movement. This was a time when people worked for equal rights for all, especially for African Americans.

In 1963, Rev. Earl Stallings signed a public letter called "A Call for Unity." This letter led to a famous response from Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. in his "Letter from Birmingham Jail." Even though Stallings signed this letter, King praised him. King noted that Stallings had opened his church to Black worshipers.

This decision made some white members of his church upset. One of the Black leaders allowed into the church was Andrew Young. Because of his balanced views, Stallings faced criticism. Both those who wanted to keep segregation and those who wanted full integration disagreed with him.

The disagreements caused problems within the church. After Stallings left, the church eventually split in 1970. This happened when the church decided not to allow a Black woman and her daughter to join. Many members left in protest. They later formed a new church called Baptist Church of the Covenant.

Learning and Early Life

Earl Stallings was born on March 20, 1916, in Durham, North Carolina. When he was 16, his mother passed away. He left school to help support his family. He managed a fruit stand in Knoxville, Tennessee, to take care of his brothers and sisters.

The Great Depression made it hard for many people to find work. Earl had to work to help his family. He went back to high school when he was 21. He graduated at age 23. After high school, he went to Carson-Newman College. He studied history there. He also joined a service fraternity called Alpha Phi Omega.

He later earned a master's degree in theology. This degree was from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. While studying, he also served as a student pastor. He worked at Buffalo Grove Baptist Church in Jefferson City in 1940. Later, from 1947 to 1951, he was a student pastor at Dumplin Creek Baptist Church, also in Jefferson City.

Serving in Churches

Earl Stallings became a full-time pastor in 1951. He served at First Baptist Church in Ocala, Florida, until 1962. During this time, he was also president of the Florida Baptist Convention from 1956 to 1957. He also helped with a radio program called "Baptist Hour." This program was on the air from 1956 to 1961.

From 1962 to 1965, he was the pastor at First Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. After that, he moved to Marietta, Georgia. He served as pastor at First Baptist Church there from 1965 to 1977.

Later in his career, from 1977 to 1985, he worked for the Southern Baptist Convention's Home Mission Board. He was the Director of Christian Ministries in Sun City West, Arizona.

Family Life

Earl Stallings passed away on February 23, 2006. He was 89 years old. He died at his retirement home in Lakeland, Florida.

He was married to Ruth Langston McMahan Stallings for 64 years. Ruth passed away in April 2001. Earl and Ruth had a son named Jim Stallings. He also had two grandchildren, James Stallings and Meredith Beeson Stallings. He had several nephews, including Carl Bowen and Bryant Stallings.