By Michelle Hines, University Relations
Contact: (336) 334-5371
Posted 1-02-07
Rev. Joseph Lowery
GREENSBORO, NC – The man known as the dean of the civil rights movement will deliver the keynote speech Jan. 17 as UNCG celebrates the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.
Rev. Joseph Lowery will speak at 7 p.m. in Cone Ballroom of Elliott University Center. Because of space constraints, the event will require tickets. Free tickets can be obtained on a first-come, first-serve basis at the University Box Office in the EUC.
Lowery – a Huntsville, Ala., native – spent his middle school years in Chicago before returning to Huntsville to complete high school. From there, he attended Knoxville College, Payne College and Theological Seminary and the Chicago Ecumenical Institute. Lowery also earned a doctorate of divinity.
Lowery began his work with civil rights in the early 1950s in Mobile, Ala., where he headed the Alabama Civic Affairs Association, an organization devoted to the desegregation of buses and public places. During this time, the state of Alabama sued Lowery, along with several other prominent ministers, on charges of libel, seizing his property. The Supreme Court sided with the ministers, and Lowery's property was returned. In 1957, Lowery and King formed the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), and Lowery was named vice president.
Lowery is a co-founder and former president of the Black Leadership Forum, a consortium of black advocacy groups. The Forum began protesting apartheid in South Africa in the mid-1970s and continued until the election of Nelson Mandela. In 1979, during a rash of disappearances of Atlanta’s African American youth, Lowery provided a calm voice to a frightened community. After becoming president of the SCLC in February of 1977, Lowery negotiated covenants with major corporations for employment advances, opportunities and business contracts with minority companies.
He has led peace delegations to the Middle East and Central America. In addition to pastoring at several churches over the years, Lowery’s efforts have led to the extension of provisions to the Voting Rights Act in 2007, the desegregation of public accommodations in Nashville, Tenn., and the hiring of the first black police officers in Birmingham, Ala.
After serving his community for more than 45 years, Lowery retired from the pulpit in 1997. He also retired in January 1998 from the SCLC as president and CEO. Despite his retirement, Lowery still remains active. He works to encourage African Americans to vote, and recorded a rap with artist NATE the Great to help spread this message.
Doors will open at 6:15 p.m. No one will be guaranteed seating after 7:10 p.m. even with a ticket.
Tickets will be available to the public beginning Jan. 10, and must be picked up in person. Limited group reservations will be available. For more information, call (336) 334-5090.
