Rev. Joseph E. Lowery was a close cohort of Dr. Martin Luther Jr. in his efforts to level the playing field and secure equal rights for all citizens of the United States. Together, they founded the enduring civil rights organization, the SCLC, and for 20 years the charismatic but provocative Huntsville-born preacher served as president after King’s untimely death.
Lowery recently turned 90 years of age and his association with King, along with his tireless, lifelong fight against injustice netted him a birthday celebration fit for a king. The leader was feted in Atlanta on Sunday with a night of entertainment that evoked emotions from laughter to tears.
Emceed by CNN’s Soledad O’Brien; Stevie Wonder; Jennifer Holiday; Tramaine Hawkins; Peabo Bryson; Dawnn Lewis; LaTrice Pace; Tori Glover; and The Blind Boys of Alabama all paid tribute through song, while Eric Holder and Valerie Jarrett on behalf of the first family; Cicely Tyson; Kasim Reed; Rev. Cameron Alexander; Shirley Franklin; Bernice and Martin Luther King III; Vernon E. Jordan; John Lewis; Al Sharpton; C.T. Vivian; and Andrew Young all paid tribute through their words.
The evening was seamless and unforgettable, perfect for one such as Lowery who, in like spirit, is unforgettable, even into the twilight of his life of inspiring achievements.
Lowery has lived double my lifetime, but remains today a very relevant symbol of what it means to be a black man in America. Here are eight reasons:
1. Father – Lowery is an active and loving father to three grateful daughters, Yvonne Kennedy, Karen Lowery and Cheryl Lowery-Osborne.
2. Husband – Lowery married his Evelyn — a civil rights activist in her own right — in 1950 and never looked back. Over the course of 61 years, problems surely surfaced, but he’s never abandoned his wife and partner.
3. Civil Rights Hero – Lowery has bravely stood for civil rights for the whole of his adult life. It takes a strong spirit and belief in self to relentlessly fight against the status quo, even today at 90 years old.
4. Education – Amid the racial strife and turmoil, Lowery went on from high school to earn his Bachelor of Arts degree (Alabama A&M/Paine College), continuing on to earn a doctorate of divinity degree (Chicago Ecumenical Institute).
5. Spiritual Foundation – Lowery became a Methodist minister after attending Paine Theological Seminary and used that role as both the platform and the foundation of his fight against injustice.
6. Fraternity – Lowery is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and has been given to service through the organization over and above his civil rights activity.
7. Tolerance – Lowery not only fights for the rights of African Americans, but he champions the causes of all minorities, including the LGBT community, which is not a popular stance among clergy.
8. Visionary – Joseph Lowery is a leader and visionary that has tirelessly fought to make better the lives of others for the bulk of his life.
If there were ever a reason to respect a black man, you were just presented with eight that Joseph E. Lowery can lay claim to. With all the talk about the state of the black man, Lowery is a shining example and should be lifted up for all to see … his relevance is unequivocally apparent.
