Vashti Murphy McKenzie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie
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McKenzie in 2008
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| Born | May 28, 1947 |
| Spouse(s) | Stan McKenzie |
| Parent(s) | Ida Murphy Peters and Edward Smith |
Vashti Murphy McKenzie (born May 28, 1947) is a very important leader in the church world. She is currently the President and General Secretary of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA. This group brings together many different Christian churches.
She is also a retired bishop (a high-ranking church leader) in the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME Church). In 2000, Bishop McKenzie made history by becoming the first woman ever chosen to be a bishop in her church. Later, she became the first woman to lead the entire AME Church as the President of its Council of Bishops. She has also written six books.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Vashti Murphy McKenzie was born on May 28, 1947, in Baltimore, Maryland. Her parents were Samuel Edward Smith and Ida Murphy Smith Peters. She was named after her grandmother, Vashti Turley Murphy. Her grandmother was one of 22 women who started the Delta Sigma Theta sorority in 1913. This happened while her grandmother was a student at Howard University.
McKenzie's grandfather, Carl J. Murphy, was the publisher of the Baltimore Afro-American newspaper. This was a newspaper for Black communities. His father, John H. Murphy, Sr, started it. The newspaper was a family business. McKenzie's five aunts also worked there as publishers, editors, and journalists. Vashti McKenzie started writing for the newspaper when she was young. She remembers writing obituaries (news about people who had died) at age 16.
High School and College Years
McKenzie went to Eastern High School in Baltimore. This was an all-girls public school. In 1954, schools began to desegregate (allow students of all races). McKenzie was one of only six Black students at Eastern High. She graduated in 1965.
After high school, McKenzie studied journalism for a summer. Then, she went to Morgan State University to study history. In her third year, she left school to marry Stan McKenzie. He was playing basketball for the Baltimore Bullets in the NBA.
The couple moved to Arizona when Stan McKenzie joined the Phoenix Suns. Later, they moved back to Baltimore. Vashti McKenzie returned to college. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from the University of Maryland.
Career Journey
After college, McKenzie worked in journalism. She worked at WYCB Radio and hosted an R&B music show. She was later promoted to Station Manager. This was a job that very few women held at that time. She worked in broadcasting for several years. She also wrote a column called "The McKenzie Report" for the Afro-American newspaper.
Called to Ministry
McKenzie felt a strong calling to become a minister. She began studying at Howard University School of Divinity. There, she earned a Masters of Divinity degree. She became an itinerant deacon in 1981. This means she could preach and help with church duties. In 1984, she became a full minister. Later, she earned a Doctorate in Ministry from United Theological Seminary in Ohio.
McKenzie's first church as a pastor was Oak Street AME Church in Baltimore. In 1990, she became the first woman to lead Payne Memorial AME Church in Baltimore, Maryland. She served there for ten years. During this time, she helped the church grow. She also expanded its work in the community. In 1996, she gave the closing prayer on the first night of the Democratic National Convention. In 1998, Ebony magazine named her one of the "15 Greatest Black Woman Preachers" in the US.
Becoming a Bishop
In 2000, McKenzie decided to run for bishop in her church. She was a new candidate. She had to explain to church leaders and members why she was qualified to be the first woman bishop. In an interview, she said she had to show people her "ministerial track record." She wanted to prove she had experience and was qualified.
There were 42 candidates for bishop that year, and two were women. McKenzie received the second-highest number of votes. This happened when the AME Church's General Council voted in July at their national meeting in Cincinnati. In her acceptance speech, she said, "Because of God’s favor, the stained-glass ceiling has been pierced and broken.” This meant she had broken through a barrier for women. She was consecrated as the 117th bishop in the AME Church. She became the first woman to reach this high position.
Her first role as bishop was in the 18th district. This district oversees AME churches in Africa, including Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, and Swaziland. Later, she led the Thirteenth District AME, which covers Tennessee and Kentucky. While there, President Barack Obama invited her to join his White House Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships council. In 2012, she moved to the Tenth Episcopal District in Texas. She led this district until she retired in 2021.
In 2005, she became the leader of the entire AME Church. She made history again as the first woman to hold this top position. She also hosted the 2012 AME General Conference in Nashville, Tennessee.
She has written several books about leadership for women in ministry. These include Not Without A Struggle and Strength in the Struggle. She is also the national chaplain for the Delta Sigma Theta sorority. In 2014, the Huffington Post listed her as one of 50 "Powerful Women Religious Figures Around The World."
Family Life
Vashti Murphy McKenzie and her late husband, Stan McKenzie, had three children: Jon-Mikael McKenzie, Vashti-Jasmine Saint-Jean, and Joi-Marie McKenzie Lewis. She also has three grandchildren: Vashti-Gracia Saint-Jean, Blake Lewis, and Brenton Lewis.
Books by Vashti Murphy McKenzie
- Not Without a Struggle: Leadership Development for African American Women in Ministry (1996) ISBN: 978-0829810769
- Strength in the Struggle: Leadership Development for Women (2001) ISBN: 978-0829812121
- Swapping Housewives: Rachel and Jacob and Leah (2007) ISBN: 978-0829817737
- Journey to the Well : Twelve Lessons on Personal Transformation (2010) ISBN: 978-0940955776
- Not Without a Struggle: Leadership Development for African American Women in Ministry (revised and updated edition 2011) ISBN: 978-0829818871
- The Big Deal of Taking Small Steps to Move Closer to God (2017) ISBN: 978-1455596560
As editor:
- Those Sisters Can Preach!: 22 Pearls of Wisdom, Virtue and Hope. (2013) ISBN: 978-0829819847
See Also
- African Methodist Episcopal Church
- African Methodist Episcopal women preachers
- Mary G. Evans
- Martha Jayne Keys
- Amanda Smith
