Claude William Black, Jr. (November 28, 1916 – March 13, 2009[1]) was an American 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.
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While attending Morehouse College in Atlanta, Black initially aspired to be a doctor, but was led to the ministry. He then attended Andover Newton Theological School.
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.
Black 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.He worked through the community as a pastor of the community.
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 led and organized 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 microphone. He became an associate of such leaders as A. Philip Randolph, Martin Luther King, Thurgood Marshall, Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., James L. 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 at his home as well as his church burned in 1974 with no suspects being charged. Black supported the efforts of San Antonio SNCC, after a massive demonstration against police brutality in downtown San Antonio and an armed attack on the SNCC office. He allowed use of the church for meetings of the San Antonio Committee to Free Angela Davis, SNCC-Panther meetings, and allowed members of the SNCC-Panthers opportunities to raise funds at the church on Sunday. Rev. Black co-authored a city council resolution against the sale of the South African Krugerrand Gold Coin, in December 1976, before Nelson Mandela was released from prison.
He served four terms of the San Antonio City Council 1973-1978 and became the city’s first black Mayor Pro Tem.
Black was married to ZerNona Black (1912–2005) for a total of 59 years. He was predeceased by his daughter Joyce (1952–1992), son Stewart (1931–1994) and three grandchildren.
San Antonio has a street, shopping plaza, and community center named in honor of Black. The city of San Antonio created the Rev. Claude and ZerNona Black Scholarship Endowment Fund. Black also served on the Advisory Council of Wayland Baptist University's San Antonio campus; the campus named its award given to the outstanding student earning the Master of Christian Ministry degree in his honor. On November 30, 2006, 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.
Black's autobiography Grandpa was a Preacher: A Letter to my Grandson was published in 2006. It was co-written with his grandson Taj Matthews.
The MLK Realizing the Dream Foundation honored Rev. Black in Washington during Inauguration Week along with Congressman Ted Kennedy, Congressman John Lewis (Georgia) and Activist, Humanitarian Aung San Suu Kyi.
Black died on March 13, 2009 in San Antonio, Texas, following a lengthy illness.