   
Joseph E. Lowery, President from 1977 to 1997
Under the leadership of Dr. Lowery, SCLC continued to
investigate and focus attention on cases of those wrongfully charged.
1977 Dr. Lowery met with President Carter and challenged him to keep his
commitments to the people that elected him. Later, Dr. Lowery criticized the
President's White House Reorganization because no person with a knowledge of,
sensitivity to, nor commitment for minorities was appointed in the White House.
SCLC also protested the purchase of coal from slave mines of South Africa by the
Atlanta-based Southern Company which owns Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and
Gulf Power companies.
1978 SCLC continued to march and bring focus to full employment, equal
education, justice, and discrimination in schools and businesses in many cites,
including the "March for Survival" in Los Angeles. Demonstrations
initiated by the Washington, DC chapter led to the prosecution of police
officers who killed a handcuffed man in nearby Maryland. SCLC continued to
protest wrongful incarcerations and deaths in Alabama, including the May
incarceration of Tommy Lee Hines, a mentally retarded Black man accused of
raping three white women.
1979 On January 15th, 1000 marchers converged on Atlanta to deliver a
"Poor People's Message to the President", who was in Atlanta to
commemorate the 50th year of the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. Marchers
protested the Carter Administration's proposal to reduce the federal deficit by
cutting into domestic social programs.
Dr. Lowery and Board members, Dr. Nelson Smith and Rev. Harry Gibson, traveled
to Guyana to investigate the mass suicide/murder of 900, mostly Black, followers
of the People's Temple in Jonestown. In San Francisco , SCLC, in conjunction
with the National Conference of Black Churchmen, later host "A Consultation
on the Implications of Jonestown for the Black Church and the Nation".
SCLC conducted sit-ins and marches at the Harris Neck Wildlife Refuge in Georgia
to aid Black families in regaining nearly 2,700 acres seized by the federal
government and to dramatize the need for Black land reclamation in the United
States.
SCLC pledged its support for sugarcane workers suffering from poverty,
inadequate housing, and lack of health care in Louisiana.
SCLC expanded its scope to include international issues and to demonstrate this
new thrust, SCLC protested the resignation of United Nations Ambassador Andrew
Young and meets with the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) in Lebanon.
1980 In spite of the failure of Congress to pass legislation designating
Dr. King's birthday as a national holiday, SCLC commemorated Dr. King's birthday
with a renewed thrust on passage of the bill. SCLC joined the National
Conference on Black Agenda for the Eighties, convened in Richmond, Virginia.
More than 1,000 people from across the nation joined SCLC in commemorating the
12th anniversary of Dr. King's assassination during first Annual "Drum
Major for Justice"/Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Awards Dinner held in
Atlanta.
SCLC continued its struggle against injustice and racism by: organizing voter
registration drives, selective buying campaigns, and marches in various cities
to fight resurging racism. SCLC sponsored a March for Justice in support of 200
striking workers of the Sanderson Farms Chicken Processing Plant in Laurel, MS
and convened a public policy symposium in Washington, DC to develop strategies
for impacting on public policy as it relates to domestic and international
climates.
1981 SCLC speaks out against "Ergonomics," a term coined to
characterize the administration's insensitivity to the poor, as demonstrated in
the fiscal year 1982 budget cuts in social programs. A march and letter writing
campaign was organized as a means of protest. SCLC openly criticized the
Democratic party for passively allowing the cuts.
SCLC organized a march for justice in Mobile, Alabama in response to local
citizen demands that justice be sought after the apparent lynching of a 19 year
old Black man.
Dr. Lowery convened a meeting between Atlanta leaders, the Atlanta Public Safety
Commissioner, and the Atlanta Police Chief to deterring why police were unable
to solve the baffling cases known as the Atlanta Missing and Murdered Children.
This group organized into the Metro Atlanta Black Clergy and met regularly to
organize programs for the community in coping with the Atlanta crisis of child
killings. SCLC, Metropolitan Atlanta Black Clergy, and college students from the
Atlanta University Center held a downtown march to demand federal funding for
investigations into the missing and murdered children cases. In the days
following the march, President Reagan approves a grant for $1.5 million.
1982 SCLC observed the rise of conservatism in American society, as a
whole, and in the U. S. Congress in particular, therefore it launched a campaign
to extend and strengthen the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which was due to expire in
August of that year. The first phase of the campaign took place in Carrollton,
Alabama, home of Maggie Bozeman and Julia Wilder, two voting rights activist
sentenced to prison on voter fraud charges. The SCLC contended that the ladies'
cases were procedural errors rather than criminal acts. SCLC staged a two week,
170 mile march from Carrollton to Selma to Montgomery to free the two women and
dramatize the need for voting rights legislation. Over 10,000 people joined SCLC
in Montgomery for a rally on the steps of the State Capitol at the conclusion of
the march on February 18th.
One month later, SCLC launched a five state 3,000 mile "Pilgrimage for
jobs, peace, economic justice, and a strong Voting Rights Act" in Tuskegee,
Alabama. The pilgrims marched through Alabama, Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia,
and ended in Washington, D. C. and carried a message to President Reagan that
minorities will not tolerate "taxation without representation."
Upon their arrival in Washington, the pilgrims marched, rallied, lobbied, and
constructed "Resurrection City/Washington, D. C. II".
The plight of Haitian refugees trying to enter the United States prompted the
SCLC to call for fair and equal treatment of all immigrants, noting the
welcoming treatment of refuges from Russia, Asia, and other European countries.
SCLC questioned why the Haitians were subjected to "prison-like
detention" on their arrival.
The SCLC was involved in other movements such as a $6.4 million rehabilitation
project providing housing for the low income and elderly; sponsorship of a
public policy symposium to address the need for Blacks to become more involved
in shaping the domestic and foreign policy of America,focussing on obtaining
block grants, extension of the Voting Rights Act, as well as issues involving
Africa and the Middle East.
1983
1984
1985 The Los Angeles Chapter - SCLC opened the Rosa Parks Rape Crisis
Center in January.
SCLC led a march in Childersburg, Alabama against police shooting death of
unarmed, 15 year old Michael Jerome Jackson, resulting in an indictment against
the police officer involved.
More than 5,000 people took part in the 20th Anniversary reenactment of 1956's
Selma to Montgomery march. Inspired by the theme, "Finishing the Unfinished
Task" the march ended on the steps of the State Capitol in Montgomery.
The first Black president of Sale's Jewelers responded to an SCLC request and
removed the South African Krugerrand gold coin from the inventory of its
48-state store chain. A protest outside the Southern Company forced the utility
holding firm to reexamine its contract to purchase coal mined in South Africa.
Dr. Lowery and SCLC National Board Member Dick Gregory traveled to Ethiopia to
deliver aid to starving victims of drought.
1986 The first national observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Mr.'s
birthday brought homage to the slain civil rights leader from across the United
States and worldwide.
SCLC's boycott of Winn Dixie Foods ended after the supermarket chain agreed to
remove all South African products from its stores. After talks with SCLC, the
Grand Union supermarket chain also agreed to stop selling South African
products. The Southern Company decided not to renew a coal purchasing contract
with South Africa amidst continued picketing by SCLC.
SCLC Department of Youth and Student Affairs hosted a "Rappin for Our
Future" concert which allowed young people to showcase stage talents and
highlighted anti-drug abuse rap lyrics.
1987 In response to a Klan attack on marchers in Cumming, Georgia, led by
former staffer, Hosea Williams, SCLC led a massice winter march to End Fear and
Intimidation in Forsyth County, Georgia. Marchers included more than 30,000
people from as far away as Sweden and Norway.
SCLC sponsored a series of "Poor People's Crusade" hearings in various
locations, including: Atlanta, Kansas City, and various cities in Virginia,
North Carolina, Alabama, Maryland, and Mississippi.
SCLC joined Amnesty International to host a day-long death penalty awareness day
which brought national personalities together to speak out against capitol
punishment.
SCLC celebrated 30 years of commitment to the civil rights struggle at its
annual convention. The convention was held in New Orleans, Louisiana and
included the 9th Poor People's Crusade hearing sponsored by SCLC.
1988 The South African government denied Dr. Lowery's visa to enter the
country to participate in ceremonies honoring Dr. King. SCLC joined with the
National Coalition for the Homeless to sponsor a march in Atlanta to focus
national attention on the plight of the homeless. Such notables as Jesse Jackson
and Al Gore were involved.
SCLC commemorated the 20th anniversary of Dr. King's assassination with a
pilmgramage for economic justice from Memphis, Tennessee, the site of the
assassination, to Atlanta. Dr. King's assassination was also commemorated by
launching the "MLK Memorial Pilgramage for Jobs, Justice, and the
Elimination of Poverty." The core group travelled through four states and
30 cities holding rallies and public hearings and conducting voter registration.
Hundreds of thousands participated in ceremonies at the Lincoln Memorial in
Washington, D. C., in August, which commemorated the 25th anniversary of the
March on Washington.
1989 A primary school in Berlin is named in honor of Martin Luther King,
Jr. Shoney's, Inc. signed a covenant with SCLC agreeing to provide $90 million
in jobs and business opportunites to the Black community over three years.
A SCLC civil rights suit filed in response to a 1979 Klan attack against
peaceful marchers in Decatur, Alabama, resulted in a court order mandating Klan
members attend courses on race relations.
SCLC pressured 9 banks of the Atlanta Mortgage Consortium to expand the number
of loans to low and moderate income Blacks.
The Los Angeles Chapter of SCLC opened MLK, Jr. Dispute and Resolution Center.
1990 SCLC pioneer, Dr. Ralph D. Abernathy, died in Atlanta. SCLC
commemorated the 25th anniversary of the historic Selma to Montgomery march with
a reenactment of the event.
SCLC leaders attended Namibia's Independence celebration. SCLC launched a weekly
television program on access/cable TV in Atlanta.
The African National Congress President Nelson Mandela, following his release
from prison in South Africa, paid tribute to Dr. King at a gravesite ceremony
during an SCLC-sponsored event in Atlanta.
SCLC helped publicize lawsuits that challenged the discriminatory nature of
judicial elections covering seven southern stated including Alabama, Georgia,
Tennessee, Florida, and Louisiana.
SCLC held public hearings in St. Petersburg, Florida on police brutality.
1991 SCLC's "Wings of Hope" Anti-Drug Program got federal
funding to develop a model for nationwide use. SCLC conducted a four-day seminar
on non-violence at Brainerd High School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. "Love
Thy Neighborhood" Week was launched by SCLC and included health, youth, and
nonviolence issues. SCLC sponsored a public hearing on police brutality in
Atlanta, Georgia and joined in national protests of Rodney King beating in
California. SCLC filed an amicus brief with the United States Supreme
Court regarding the race and class bias of the death penalty sentencing. The
Youth and Student Affairs Division of SCLC began a 12 week SCLC/Kaplan
Scholastics Aptitude Test course designed to assist high school student in
developing test-taking skills. Dr. Lowery was among the U. S. leaders that took
part in the first African-American Summit in Abidjan Cot d' Ivoire.
1992 SCLC launched its "Stop the Killing/End the Violence"
campaign in ten cities. SCLC held a series of revival meetings in Atlanta aimed
at reducing drugs, crime, and violence in the minority community. SCLC took part
in a coalition effort "Get Out the Vote" caravan that travelled
throughout Georgia. Other coalition members included the Georgia Empowerment
Coalition, the NAACP, the Georgia Coalition of Black Women, the A. Phillip
Randolph Institute, and Jobs with Justice.
1993 An estimated 200,000 people took part in the 30th anniversary
reenactment of the historic 1963 March on Washington sponsored by SCLC. SCLC
continued its Stop the Killing/End the Violence campaign and began phase two of
its gun buyback program by expanding it to include automatic weaponry and
sawed-off shotguns. Shoney's signed a two-year extension of its convenant with
SCLC in which it agreed to spend $60 million with the minority community between
May 1993 and May 1995.
Dr. Lowery headed a SCLC delegation to the second African-American Summit in
Libreville, Gabon. One thousand U. S. and African delegates took part in a week
of activities aimed at developing trade and business opportunitues between
Africa and African-Americans. SCLC sent aid to victims of Hurricane Andrew in
Florida. The African National Congress President Nelson Mandela received a
$1,000 donation from SCLC during a visit to SCLC's Atlanta headquarters on
Auburn Avenue.
The Justice Department began an investigation into mysterious deaths of 47 young
people in Mississippi jails, prompted by information gathered by SCLC and other
organizations.
1994 SCLC held a successful gun buyback on "Super Bowl Sunday"
in Atlanta, collecting 127 guns and 300 toy guns. SCLC gun buyback donations
were received from a number of sources, including: Atlanta Chamber of Commerce,
Foot Locker, BP Oil, Back One, Heckstall Film, Hank Aaron, and Rosa Parks. SCLC
chapters and affiliates used the national gun buybacks as a model for hosting
local gun buybacks.
SCLC commemorated the 26th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther
King, Jr. by asking all Americans to turn on their car headlights and to make
April 4th a day of nonviolence and peace. President Bill Clinton called for all
Americans to support this expression of nonviolence.
The majority Black 11th Congressional district of Georgia was found
unconstitutional by a federal three judge panel. SCLC participated in various
meetings regarding new congressional maps and preservation of majority Black
state districts, prompted by the Court decision.
SCLC President Joseph Lowery testified at a public hearing by Georgia Supreme
Court Commission on Racism and Ethnic Bias in the Court System about the problem
of racial inequity in the criminal justice system of Georgia.
1995 SCLC sponsored a reenactment of the historic Selma to Montgomery
march commemmorating the 30th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Four
thousand civil rights activists streamed into Montgomery, Alabama where former
Governor George Wallace met marchers at St. Jude's and apologized for his
conduct in 1965. As a part of the pre-march jubilee in Selma, the Voting Rights
Museum hosted a tribute to the "Invisible Giants" of the Voting Rights
Movement-extraordinary women such as Lucy Foster, Marie Foster, and Amelia
Boyton.
SCLC Preisdent Joseph Lowery headed the Affirmative Action Coalition of area
leaders on a series of Town Hall Meetings involving affirmative action crisis.
SCLC President joseph Lowery met with Alabama governor over the issue of the
state's reinstatement of the "chain gang." SCLC initiated a boycott
and demonstrated "War Against Prior Tire" over issues of affirmative
action.
SCLC was one of the first established organizations to embrace the "Million
Man March," which SCLC President Lowery spoke beofre the one million plus
crowd of Black men at the Lincoln Memorial in October.
SCLC helped draft and publish a "Joint Statement for the Preservation of
African-Amercian Voting Rights" urging Georgia's Black legislators to
oppose proposed redistricting plans that eliminate a number of majority Black
state districts.
1996 SCLC joined in amici curiae brief condemning racist conduct
of the Missouri State Judge Earl Blackwell. SCLC hosted an inter-organizational
summit on civil rights issues. "Soul Force" was chosen as the
coalition's name with the agenda focussing on political and economic empowerment
and criminal justice system.
SCLC launched a new "Stop the Killing/End the Violence" initiative.
SCLC President Joseph Lowery headed a meeting at the SCLC national office with
U. S. Assistant Attorney General Duval Patrick regarding Black church burnings.
SCLC established a "Church Rebuilding Fund" with an initial $100,000
donation from Intersound, Inc. SCLC sponsored meetings with various religious
denominations in Tuskegee, Alabama dealing with church burning issues.
The Jackson, Mississippi Chapter of SCLC undertook an investigation of Capitol
Center, Inc. charged with Civil Rights Act, Voting Rights Act, and Public
Accomodations violations;SCLC national and SCLC Virginia State Chapter President
met with the Pentagon Task Force regarding racial discrimination in the
military; SCLC sponsored a rally in front of the U. S. Supreme Court challenging
"tracking" and inequality in education.
500-plus persons participated in National Planning Summit on Miseducation and
Tracking of Black Children hosted by SCLC and CARE (Coalition of Alabamians
Reforming Education) in Atlanta. SCLC participated in similar summits held in
other locations throughout the country.
Rev. Fred Taylor, a 28 year SCLC veteran, along with Correta and Dexter Scott
King, carried the Olympic Torch in the 1996 Olympic Games. "People to
People" Tours created by SCLC sent "motor voter" buses throughout
the South registering Black voters. SCLC Youth hosted its third Anti-Violence
Haunted House where children experienced real life horrors of violence. Dr.
Lowery testified before the U. S. Civil Rights Commission on the police
brutality issue.
1997 SCLC Youth helped host "Power of the Sister Vote," a forum
to develop concrete political action plans using a women's network. SCLC hosted
a series of town hall meetings and hearings on affirmative action and became
involved in several mass actions against various employers including McRae's,
the Gwinnett County (GA) Department of Utilities, and others. In the face of
governmental prosecution of SCLC officials, SCLC opened state office in
Anniston, Alabama to assist in fighting racial oppression in Alabama. "Stop
the Killing/End the Violence" pray-in, led by Dr. Lowery and First
Missionary Baptist Church's C. L. Carter, Sr. mourning the shooting deaths of
five Atlanta youth in 10 days.
SCLC President Lowery and other SCLC staff attended a hearing in Memphis, with
Coretta Scott King and son, Dexter, to encourage Tennesse judicial officials to
grant convicted King assassin James Earl Ray another trial. SCLC/West Regional
Vice President Evelyn Occhino got Black churches to agree to deposit $100,000 in
each of three Black Los Angeles banks. SCLC continued its church burning
efforts. SCLC received wide support in "A Week Without Violence, A Week of
Caring" initiative in memory of founding President Martin Luther King, Jr.
SCLC received U. S. Justice Department assurance of a full investigation into
police beatings of Atlanta motorist Timmie Sinclair and hosted a leadership
meeting determining response to Atlanta's lenient treatment of the police
officers involved.
The SCLC National Convention was held in Atlanta - the first in ten years - with
the theme, "Where Do We Go From Here? New Life Begins at 40!",
paying tribute to retiring SCLC National President Dr. Joseph E. Lowery, who
retired after 40 years of diligent and faithful service with SCLC and the
movement.
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