Ralph Lord Roy facts for kids
Ralph Lord Roy (born 1928, died 2020) was a special kind of leader. He was a Methodist pastor, which means he was a religious leader in a Christian church. He was also a writer and a brave activist who worked hard for fairness and equality. He was known for being a Freedom Rider and a key part of the Civil Rights Movement.
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Ralph Lord Roy's Early Life
Ralph Lord Roy was born on September 30, 1928, in a town called St. Albans, in Vermont. His parents were Howard Allen and Olive Lydia Roy.
He went to Swarthmore College and finished his studies there in 1950. After that, he continued his education at Union Theological Seminary, getting his Master of Arts degree in 1952.
After becoming a pastor, he worked in churches in New York City and Connecticut.
His first book, Apostles of Discord, started as a big school project. This book talked about some unfair ideas that were hidden in parts of American Protestantism. It was one of the first books to explain the history of a group called the Christian Identity movement.
Fighting for Civil Rights
Ralph Lord Roy was a very important person in the fight for civil rights.
In 1961, he joined a group called the Interfaith Freedom Ride. This was a journey from Washington, D.C., all the way to Tallahassee, Florida. The people on this ride were protesting unfair laws. Because of his actions, Ralph Lord Roy was even put in jail.
In the summer of 1962, he met with the famous leader Martin Luther King Jr.. After their meeting, Roy and another leader named Israel Dresner organized a "prayer pilgrimage" in Albany, Georgia. This peaceful protest led to the largest number of religious leaders ever being jailed in American history.
A Writer's Journey
Ralph Lord Roy was also a talented writer.
For 20 years, he wrote a regular column for the Record Journal newspaper in Meriden, Connecticut. In his columns, he shared his thoughts on important social, political, and religious topics.
Books by Ralph Lord Roy
- Apostles of Discord (1953)
- Communism and the Churches (1960)
