Joseph Lowery facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joseph Lowery
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| 3rd President of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference | |
| In office 1977–1997 |
|
| Preceded by | Ralph Abernathy |
| Succeeded by | Martin Luther King III |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Joseph Echols Lowery
October 6, 1921 Huntsville, Alabama, U.S. |
| Died | March 27, 2020 (aged 98) Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Spouses | Agnes Moore (div.) |
| Children | 5 |
| Known for | Civil rights movement |
| Awards | Presidential Medal of Freedom 2009 |
| Affiliations | Georgia's Coalition for the People's Agenda; Alabama Civic Affairs Association; Black Leadership Forum; Lowery Institute |
Joseph Echols Lowery (born October 6, 1921 – died March 27, 2020) was an American minister. He was a very important leader in the Civil Rights Movement. This movement worked to gain equal rights for all people in the United States.
Lowery helped start the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) with Martin Luther King Jr. and others. He served as its president for 20 years, from 1977 to 1997. He took part in many big events of the civil rights movement. People called him the "Dean of the Civil Rights Movement."
In 2009, President Barack Obama gave Lowery the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This is one of the highest awards a civilian can receive in the U.S.
Contents
About Joseph Lowery's Life
Joseph E. Lowery was born on October 6, 1921. His parents were Leroy and Dora Lowery. His mother was a teacher, and his father owned a small business in Alabama.
When he was 11, a white police officer hit him. This happened because Lowery did not get off the sidewalk fast enough for a white man. Lowery ran home to get a gun, but his father stopped him. His family sent him to middle school in Chicago to stay with relatives. He later returned to Huntsville, Alabama, to finish high school.
Lowery went to Knoxville College and Alabama A&M College. He graduated from Paine College. He also studied to become a minister at Payne Theological Seminary. Later, he earned a special degree called a Doctor of Divinity.
In 1950, he married Evelyn Gibson. She was also a civil rights activist. Evelyn passed away in 2013. They had three daughters: Yvonne, Karen, and Cheryl. Joseph also had two sons, Joseph Jr. and LeRoy III, from an earlier marriage.
Joseph Lowery's Civil Rights Work
From 1952 to 1961, Lowery was a pastor in Mobile, Alabama. His work in the Civil Rights Movement began in the early 1950s. After Rosa Parks was arrested in 1955, he helped lead the Montgomery Bus Boycott. This boycott protested unfair bus rules.
He also led the Alabama Civic Affairs Association. This group worked to end segregation on buses and in public places. In 1957, Lowery, Martin Luther King Jr., and Fred Shuttlesworth started the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). Lowery became the SCLC's president in 1977 and served until 1997.
In 1959, the State of Alabama tried to take Lowery's car and property. This was because of a lawsuit. However, the Supreme Court of the United States later said this was wrong.
In 1965, King asked Lowery to join the Selma to Montgomery marches. These marches helped people gain the right to vote. Lowery also helped create the Black Leadership Forum. This group brought together many black advocacy groups.
The Forum spoke out against Apartheid in South Africa. Apartheid was a system of unfair racial separation. Lowery was one of the first five black men arrested for protesting outside the South African Embassy in Washington, D.C..
Lowery served as a pastor in Atlanta from 1986 to 1992. During this time, his church grew a lot. To honor him, a street in Atlanta was renamed Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard. This street runs past several historically black colleges.
Lowery also supported equal rights for LGBT people. He spoke in favor of civil unions and same-sex marriage.
Joseph Lowery's Passing
Joseph Lowery passed away on March 27, 2020, in Atlanta, Georgia.
Awards and Honors
Joseph Lowery received many awards for his work. The NAACP gave him a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997. They called him the "dean of the civil rights movement."
He also received the Walter P. Reuther Humanitarian Award in 2003. Other honors include the Martin Luther King Jr. Center Peace Award. He also got the National Urban League's Whitney M. Young Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004.
Ebony magazine named him one of the 15 greatest black preachers. They said he spoke "truth to power." Many colleges gave him honorary doctorates. In 2004, he was honored at the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame in Atlanta.
On July 30, 2009, President Barack Obama gave Lowery the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This is the highest civilian award in the United States. That same year, he received the Fred L. Shuttlesworth Human Rights Award.
Speaking at Coretta Scott King's Funeral
In 2006, Joseph Lowery spoke at the funeral of Coretta Scott King, Martin Luther King Jr.'s wife. He spoke about the importance of peace and justice. He talked about how war and poverty affect people. His words received a standing ovation from the crowd.
Benediction at President Obama's Inauguration
On January 20, 2009, Joseph Lowery gave the benediction at the inauguration of Barack Obama. A benediction is a blessing or a prayer that closes a ceremony. Obama became the 44th President of the United States.
Lowery began his prayer with lines from "Lift Every Voice and Sing." This song is also known as "The Negro National Anthem." His words were well-received by the people attending the event.
See also
In Spanish: Joseph Lowery para niños
