Jeremiah Wright facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jeremiah Wright
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Wright in 1998
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Jeremiah Alvesta Wright Jr.
September 22, 1941 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
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| Other names | Jerry Wright | ||||||||
| Spouse(s) | Ramah Reed | ||||||||
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| Education | Virginia Union University Howard University (BA) University of Chicago (MDiv) United Theological Seminary (DMin) |
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| Scientific career | |||||||||
| Institutions | United Theological Seminary Chicago Theological Seminary Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary |
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| Thesis | Black Sacred Music: Problems and Possibilities (1990) | ||||||||
| Doctoral advisor | Samuel DeWitt Proctor | ||||||||
| Influences | James H. Cone | ||||||||
| Influenced | Barack Obama | ||||||||
| Military career | |||||||||
| Allegiance |  United States |
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| Service/ |
 United States Marine Corps United States Navy |
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| Years of service | 1961–1967 | ||||||||
| Rank | Private First Class Hospital Corpsman Third Class |
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| Unit | 2nd Marine Division Presidential medical team |
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Jeremiah Alvesta Wright Jr. (born September 22, 1941) is a well-known pastor who led the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. He was the pastor there for 36 years. During his time, the church grew a lot, with over 8,000 members. After he retired, some of his speeches and ideas became widely discussed. This happened especially when Barack Obama was running for president in 2008.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Jeremiah Wright Jr. was born on September 22, 1941. He grew up in Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This area had people from many different backgrounds.
His father, Jeremiah Wright Sr., was also a Baptist minister. His mother, Mary Elizabeth Henderson Wright, was a schoolteacher. She was the first Black person to teach an academic subject at Roosevelt Junior High. She also became the first Black vice principal at Girls High School.
Wright went to Central High School in Philadelphia. He graduated in 1959. At that time, it was one of the best schools in the area. His yearbook described him as a respected student. It said he was "Always ready with a kind word."
Education and Military Service
From 1959 to 1961, Wright attended Virginia Union University. In 1961, he decided to join the United States Marine Corps. He served in the 2nd Marine Division.
After two years, in 1963, Wright joined the United States Navy. He trained to be a Hospital Corpsman. This job involves helping doctors and nurses care for patients. He also trained to be a cardiopulmonary technician. This means he learned to help with heart and lung issues.
Wright was even part of the medical team that cared for President Lyndon B. Johnson. He helped care for Johnson after a surgery in 1966. The White House doctor thanked Wright personally for his service. He left the military in 1967.
In 1967, Wright went back to college. He studied at Howard University in Washington, D.C. He earned a bachelor's degree in 1968 and a master's degree in English in 1969. He also earned another master's degree from the University of Chicago Divinity School. Later, he received a Doctor of Ministry degree in 1990. He studied under Samuel DeWitt Proctor, who was a mentor to Martin Luther King Jr..
Jeremiah Wright and his wife, Ramah Reed Wright, have four daughters and one son.
Career as a Minister
Jeremiah Wright became the pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago on March 1, 1971. At that time, the church had about 250 members, but only around 90 regularly attended services.
By March 2008, Trinity United Church of Christ had grown a lot. It became the largest church in the United Church of Christ group. The leader of the United Church of Christ, John H. Thomas, praised Wright's leadership. He said Wright led the church for 36 years.
In 1995, Wright was asked to give a prayer at the Million Man March. This was a large gathering in Washington, D.C.
Wright also started a program called "Ministers in Training" at his church. He has been a national leader in helping people get ready for ministry in African American churches. The church's mission is based on black theology, which started with the ideas of James Hal Cone.
Wright has taught at several schools, including Chicago Theological Seminary. He has also served on the boards of different universities and health systems.
In the late 1980s, Wright heard a lecture about a painting called Hope. This painting shows a woman with torn clothes and a broken harp, but she is still trying to make music. This inspired Wright to give a sermon in 1990. He talked about having "the audacity to hope" even when things are difficult.
Barack Obama heard Wright's sermon. He later used a similar phrase, "audacity of hope," for his 2004 speech at the Democratic National Convention. This phrase also became the title of Obama's second book.
Retirement
Jeremiah Wright retired as pastor from Trinity United Church of Christ in early 2008. During his time, the church grew from 87 members in 1972 to over 8,000 members.
In September 2016, Wright had a stroke. This affected the left side of his body and made him use a wheelchair. Even though his voice was affected, he still gives sermons sometimes.
Honors and Recognition
Wright has received many honors for his work. He was given a Rockefeller Fellowship. He also received seven honorary doctorate degrees from different universities. These include Colgate University and Lincoln University.
Ebony magazine named him one of the top 15 preachers. In January 2008, he received the first Carver Medal from Simpson College. This award recognized him as someone who showed the vision and service of George Washington Carver.
Published Works
Jeremiah Wright Jr. has written several books. These books often focus on topics related to faith, theology, and the African American church.
Some of his works include:
- Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., "Music as Cultural Expression in Black Church Theology and Worship", Journal of Black Sacred Music 3, 1 (1; Spring 1989).
- Wright, Jeremiah A. Jr. and Jini Kilgore Ross, What Makes You So Strong?: Sermons of Joy and Strength from Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., Judson Press, November 1993, ISBN: 978-0-8170-1198-7
- Jawanza Kunjufu and Jeremiah Wright Jr., Adam! Where Are You?: Why Most Black Men Don't Go to Church, African American Images, 1997, ISBN: 978-0-913543-43-6
- Wright, Jeremiah A. Jr. and Colleen Birchett, Africans Who Shaped Our Faith (Student Book and Leader Guide), Urban Ministries, Inc., 1995, ISBN: 978-0-940955-29-5
- Wright, Jeremiah A. Jr. and Jini Kilgore Ross, Good News!: Sermons of Hope for Today's Families, Judson Press, 1995, ISBN: 978-0-8170-1236-6
- William J. Key, Robert Johnson Smith, Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. and Robert Johnson-Smith, From One Brother to Another: Voices of African American Men, Judson Press, 1996, ISBN: 978-0-8170-1250-2
- Frank Madison Reid III, Jeremiah Wright Jr. and Colleen Birchett, When Black Men Stand Up for God: Reflections on the Million Man March, African American Images, 1997, ISBN: 978-0-913543-48-1
- Wright, Jeremiah A. Jr., What Can Happen When We Pray: A Daily Devotional, Augsburg Fortress Publishers, 2002, ISBN: 978-0-8066-3406-7
- Wright, Jeremiah A. Jr., From One Brother To Another, Volume 2: Voices of African American Men , Judson Press, 2003, ISBN: 978-0-8170-1362-2
- Wright, Jeremiah A Jr. (2004), "Doing black theology in the black church", pp. 13–23, 213–214. In Linda E. Thomas (Ed.), Living Stones in the Household of God: The Legacy and Future of Black Theology, Minneapolis: Fortress. ISBN: 0-8006-3627-9
- Wright, Jeremiah. "Here I am, send me". In Awakened to a calling: reflections on the vocation of ministry, Ann M. Svennungsen and Melissa Wiginton (Eds.), Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2005. ISBN: 0-687-05390-0
- Wright, Jeremiah. "In the Lord's house, on the Lord's day". In Awakened to a calling: reflections on the vocation of ministry, Ann M. Svennungsen and Melissa Wiginton (Eds.), Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2005. ISBN: 0-687-05390-0
- Iva E. Carruthers (Editor), Frederick D. Haynes III (Editor), Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. (Editor), Blow the Trumpet in Zion!: Global Vision and Action for the 21st Century Black Church, Augsburg Fortress Publishers, 2005, ISBN: 978-0-8006-3712-5
- Ernest R. Flores and Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., Tempted to Leave the Cross: Renewing the Call to Discipleship, Judson Press 2007, ISBN: 978-0-8170-1524-4
Wright is also featured on Wynton Marsalis's album The Majesty of the Blues. He also appeared on the Odyssey Channel series Great Preachers.
