Reverend Joseph Lowery: The Experiences of a Black Rights Visionary

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Reverend Joseph Lowery was a visionary and ahead of his time in a climate of prejudice and oppression against black people. He fought for equity amongst those that didn’t feel like they could fight for themselves. He was an American minister who founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. [1] The conference was to establish the coordination and call to action of protest. Lowery worked with some of the most esteemed activists that fought for Civil Rights. He has contributed to black people that have influenced a forever-lasting social movement. His experiences unveiled the behind-the-scenes realism activists went through in such a severe time.

Reverend Joseph Lowery is pictured standing in solidarity with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and colleagues.

In an interview, he describes his experience firsthand of how oppressed black people were kept from something as simple as voting. He goes on to describe a strategy of the white hegemony that played a role in this specific situation of inequality.

“ Their only crime was registering black voters and teaching them how to absentee ballots. And that's what they were convicted of. That was voter fraud. White folks had been voting absentee for years. In fact, at least the people that Maggie and Julia got were alive (laughter). The folks that had voted absentee in, in counties all over Alabama by white people were dead. They got the names and statistics off tombstones. But at any rate, when we defended, we, we came to the support of those women.”[2]

Black people were misled and misinformed on purpose about aspects such as voting and rights to further the ideals of white supremacy that broke down black cohesiveness. Lowery talks about his experience being in Mobile, Alabama during an intense time of social climate and political issues. He describes the experience of fighting for civil equality in one of the most oppressive states at one of the most prevalent times of racial tension in America. Lowery goes into detail about his endeavors to desegregate.

Joseph Lowery and colleagues are photographed at a the Winn-Dixie protest in 1985.

“And then we sat down, and the next stop, he got up and got off the bus. And Reverend McCree and I said, whew, you know. (Unclear) Nobody knew,, we were as frightened as we could be, but we kept our cool. That nonviolent workshop paid off and taking the initiative disarmed him. And he got off. And, when we got off the bus at the end of the line, so the black ladies got off with us and said, yawl, yawl, segregating the buses? Yes, ma'am, we're desegregating the buses, and we rode back without incident. But Mobile--and that was the end of segregation on the buses in Mobile. They never enforced it after that. Some blacks continued to go to the back, others were upfront. They never enforced it anymore after that. That was the difference between Mobile and Montgomery. We then petitioned the--that's why we got no, no media attention because there was no resistance.”[3]

As Lowery made efforts to fight for Civil Rights, he continued to stay in his faith despite the challenges and social injustices that were brought upon black Americans. Although he had intentions to fight for the birthright advantages of people, he still wanted to pursue his faith in the midst of it all. The purpose of having faith and social justice in one equaled ultimate peace on Earth to Lowery. He describes how the two coincide in the ultimate goal to find law and order with religion.

“I want to make heaven my home, but I want to see my home here heavenly, as well. That includes justice and it includes an end, to disparities. It includes an end to the wholesaling of our people to jails. In Georgia, blacks are thirty percent of the population, but seventy percent of the prisoners. And most of them had no defense, and certainly inadequate defense. Indigent, poor folk can't afford lawyers, and the state's not providing them as the Constitution provides. So I think that's the kind of thing people have got to wake up to and, and let justice roar down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.” [4]

Although, disparities were more than an issue faith was upheld in uncertain times to continue the purpose of social and economic advancement of black people. The one thing that held black people together at that time was gathering whether it was in the church or for a protest where they connect on the same issues. Reverend Lowery understood this concept as the stronghold of the community fighting with credence in the church and a source of faith. [5]

Joseph Lowery is being awarded the Medal of Freedom by 44th president of the United States, Barack Obama.

Video References:

Joseph Lowery. Black Leaders of Atlanta. (n.d.). Retrieved January 20, 2023, from https://www.blatl.com/joseph-lowery.html

Lowery (The HistoryMakers A2003.185), interviewed by Larry Crowe, August 13, 2003, The HistoryMakers Digital Archive. Session 1, tape 4, story 2, Joseph Lowery discusses past and present issues regarding voters' right

Reverend Dr. Joseph Lowery (The HistoryMakers A2003.185), interviewed by Larry Crowe, August 13, 2003, The HistoryMakers Digital Archive. Session 1, tape 3, story 3, Joseph Lowery describes his Civil Rights efforts in Mobile, Alabama

Reverend Dr. Joseph Lowery (The HistoryMakers A2003.185), interviewed by Larry Crowe, August 13, 2003, The HistoryMakers Digital Archive. Session 1, tape 5, story 6, Joseph Lowery discusses the role of social justice in organized religion

UMC, N. G. (n.d.). The rev. Joseph Lowery: A pillar of the faith. NGUMC. Retrieved January 20, 2023, from https://www.ngumc.org/newsdetail/the-rev-dr-joseph-lowery-was-a-pillar-of-the-faith-13539330

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The HistoryMakers Black History contest has required a lot of planning, therefore a lot of things have been in the works. Everything as far as the judges and deadlines is confirmed. We’re currently in the process of finding someone to film the contest, it is now a matter of finalizing all the details and perfecting implementation. The outreach plan is still being updated with new details of what will happen this upcoming week, and meetings with judges. I hope for the best as I and fellow ambassador, Akilah, put the plan into action.