Claude Black

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


This article is about Reverend Claude Black. For the jazz musician of the same name, see Claude Black (pianist).

Rev Claude William Black Jr. (born November 28, 1916) is a Baptist minister and political figure. He was born the son of local Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters vice president Claude Sr. and housewife Cora in the then-segregated city of San Antonio, Texas.

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Ministry

While attending Morehouse College in Atlanta, Black initially aspired to be a doctor, but was led to the ministry. He then followed at Andover Newton Theological School.

Rev. Black served as pastor of Mt Zion First Baptist Church in San Antonio for 1949-1998 and as pastor emeritus since. Previously, he had served as pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Haverhill, Massachusetts 1941-1943 and St. Matthew Baptist Church in Corpus Christi, Texas 1946-1949.

Rev. Black has founded several community groups as well as the city’s first black credit union. He also served as chairmen of the Social Actions Committee with the National Baptist Convention and president of the Baptist Minister's Union of San Antonio.


[edit] Civil rights activitism

Rev Black was known throughout the South for his civil rights activism. Throughout the late 1950’s and 1960’s, he along with State Representative G J Sutton and Harry Burns were leading and organizing marches throughout the state. He challenged former Texas Governor Price Daniel, former San Antonio Mayor Walter McAllister and the establishment for their unfair treatment of minorities in the city. While addressing a city council meeting in 1952, he was ignored and called a "nigger" on the open mic. He became an associate of such leaders as A. Philip Randolph, Martin Luther King, Thurgood Marshall, Adam Clayton Powell Jr, James Farmer, Jr. Ella Baker and others. As a local ally to President Lyndon B. Johnson, Black was present for the White House Conference on Civil Rights in 1966. He endured many threats to himself, his family and even his church. A drive-by shooting occurred on his home as well as his church was burned in 1974 with no suspects ever being charged.

He served four terms of the San Antonio City Council 1973-1978 and became the city’s First Black Mayor Pro Tem.

[edit] Legacy

Rev Black was married to ZerNona Black (1912-2005) for a total of 59 years. He has experienced the death of both children Stewart (ca. 1947-1994) and Joyce (1952-1992) and three grandchildren.

San Antonio has a street, shopping plaza, and community center named in honor of Rev. Claude Black. The city of San Antonio has created the Rev. Claude & ZerNona Black Scholarship Endowment Fund. On November 30, 2006, Rev. Black was honored with an extravagant 90th Birthday gala, which was hosted by both the city of San Antonio. Guest included Martin Luther King III, Fred Shuttlesworth, Henry Cisneros, Percy Sutton and Phil Hardberger.

Rev. Black's autobiography Grandpa was a Preacher: A Letter to my Grandson was published in 2006. It was cowritten with his grandson Taj Matthews.

[edit] External links

Persondata
NAME Black, Claude William
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Black, C. William, Black, Rev Claude
SHORT DESCRIPTION African American civil rights activist, Baptist Minister
DATE OF BIRTH November 28, 1916
PLACE OF BIRTH San Antonio, Texas, United States
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH