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 on May 28, 1947, is a very important leader in the world of faith. She is currently the President and General Secretary of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA. She is also a retired bishop from the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME Church). Bishop McKenzie has written six books. In 2000, she made history by becoming the first woman ever elected as a bishop in the AME Church. Later, she became the first woman to lead the Council of Bishops, which is a top position in the AME Church.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Vashti Murphy McKenzie was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on May 28, 1947. 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 a newspaper publisher. He was the chief editor of the Baltimore Afro-American. This newspaper was for the Black community and was started by his father, John H. Murphy, Sr. 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 at age 16.
High School and College Years
McKenzie went to Eastern High School in Baltimore. It was an all-girls public school. She was one of only six Black students there. The school had recently allowed students of all races to attend. This change happened after the important Brown vs. Board of Education decision in 1954. McKenzie graduated from Eastern High 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 college to marry Stan McKenzie. He was a professional basketball player for the Baltimore Bullets in the NBA.
The couple moved to Arizona when Stan was traded to the Phoenix Suns. Later, the McKenzies moved back to Baltimore. Vashti McKenzie returned to school. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from the University of Maryland.
Career Highlights
After getting her degree, McKenzie worked in journalism. She worked at WYCB Radio. She hosted an R&B music show there. Later, she became the 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 newspaper column called "The McKenzie Report" for the Afro-American.
A Calling to Ministry
McKenzie felt a strong desire to become a minister. She began studying at Howard University School of Divinity. There, she earned a Masters of Divinity degree. She was ordained as a deacon in 1981. Then, she became a full minister in 1984. She later 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 in this role for ten years. During that time, she helped the church grow a lot. She also expanded its work in the community. In 1996, she gave the closing prayer at the Democratic National Convention. In 1998, Ebony magazine named her one of the "15 Greatest Black Woman Preachers" in the US.
Making History as a Bishop
In 2000, McKenzie decided to run for the position of bishop in her church. She was a new candidate. She had to explain to church leaders and members why she was qualified. She was running to be the first woman bishop. In an interview, she said she had to show people her strong record as a pastor. She wanted to prove she was experienced and qualified. She also showed how God had blessed her ministry.
There were 42 candidates for bishop that year. Two of them were women. Besides McKenzie, Rev. Carolyn Tyler Guidry also ran. Guidry was the first woman to be a presiding elder in the AME Church's Fifth District. (Guidry later became a bishop in 2004). McKenzie received the second-highest number of votes. This happened when the AME Church's General Council voted in July. The vote took place at the national convention in Cincinnati.
In her acceptance speech, she famously said, "Because of God’s favor, the stained-glass ceiling has been pierced and broken.” She was then made the 117th bishop in the AME Church. She became the first woman to reach this high position.
Leading the Church
As a new bishop, she was first assigned to the 18th district. This district oversees AME churches in Africa. These churches are mainly in Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, and Swaziland. Later, she led the Thirteenth District AME. This district covers Tennessee and Kentucky.
While in this role, President Barack Obama invited her to join his special council. This was the President's Advisory Council of the White House Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. 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 main leader of the AME Church. She made history again as the first woman to lead the whole denomination. She was also the host bishop for the 2012 AME General Conference. This big meeting was held in Nashville, Tennessee.
Author and Influencer
Bishop McKenzie has written several books. These books are about leadership for women in ministry. Some of her books 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." In 2016, she was one of many African American women who supported Hillary Rodham Clinton for President.
Personal Life
Vashti Murphy McKenzie and her late husband had three children. Their names are Jon-Mikael McKenzie, Vashti-Jasmine Saint-Jean, and Joi-Marie McKenzie Lewis. She also has three grandchildren and a granddog.
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
