The Reverend Dr. Wyatt Tee Walker
Rev. Wyatt Tee Walker, a key figure in the Civil Rights Movement in this country, will be speaking at Hampden-Sydney College outside Farmville, Virginia. The program will take place at 11:30 AM, November 18th in the Parents and Friends Lounge, Venable Hall on the H-SC Campus.
Reverend Walker will present “The Civil Rights Movement in 1963″.
Reverend Walker attendedVirginia Union University north of Richmond. Upon receiving his Master’s Degree, Walker was the minister at Gillifield Baptist Church in Petersburg. It was at that time Dr. Walker started working with the National Organization for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), and as a director on the board of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
Reverend Walker is probably best known for his work organizing the mass marches in Birmingham, a plan which became the blueprint for future marches during the 1960’s. He has served as president of the Negro Heritage Library, and as minister at the historic Caanan Baptist Church of Christ in Harlem.
In the later portions of his career, Dr. Walker has turned his focus to Africa, mainly in South Africa during the Anti-Apartheid Movement and for free elections in South Africa.
The stories this man must tell of his life, full of excitement, sorrow, accomplishment, disappointment.
I encourage all those who are interested in this subject to show up and listen to this hero and trailblazer speak about his full life.
UPDATED: To reflect Dr. Porter’s corrections in his comment below. [10-30-09]
Hampden-Sydney and civil rights? Wha?
I like the fact that you wrote a story about Dr. Walker but your article is filled with misinformation. A few quick observations… Dr. King was not a student with Dr. Walker at VUU. Dr. Walker served as pastor at “Gillfield” Baptist Church, Petersburg — not “Gullifield.” [Dr. Walker and I both served "Gillfield"]. And finally, Dr. Walker was the beloved pastor (for 37 years) of Canaan Baptist Church of Christ in Harlem. Walker was never the pastor at Abyssinian. Rev. Adam Clayton Powell and Dr. Samuel DeWitt Proctor both served as pastor at Abyssinian. Its present pastor is Dr. Calvin Butts.
I want to suggest that you proofread and proofread, again. These are errors that jump out because I know the history. This is constructive.