ATLANTA, March 28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Our beloved,
Rev. Dr. Joseph Echols Lowery, made
his transition peacefully at home at 10
p.m., Friday, March 27, at the
age of 98. He was surrounded by his daughters.
Hailed as the "Dean of the Civil Rights Movement" upon his
receipt of the NAACP's Lifetime Achievement Award, Dr.
Lowery had assumed and executed a broad and diverse series of roles
over the span of his nine decades: leader, pastor, servant, father,
husband, freedom fighter and advocate.
Born in Huntsville, Ala., on
October 6, 1921, his legacy of
service and struggle was long and rich. His genesis as a civil
rights advocate dates to the early 1950s, when he headed the
Alabama Civic Affairs Association, which led the movement to
desegregate buses and public accommodations. In 1957, with friend
and colleague Dr. Martin Luther King
Jr., he was a co-founder of the Southern Christian
Leadership Conference (SCLC).
He served as Vice President (1957-1967), Chairman of the Board
(1967-1977), and as President and Chief Executive Officer
(1977-1998). To continue his legacy and promote non-violent
advocacy among future generations, The Joseph E. Lowery Institute
for Justice & Human Rights was founded in 2002 at Clark Atlanta University. The Institute was later
renamed to include and honor Dr. Evelyn
Lowery, his beloved partner in marriage and the movement for
67 years.
Calling on his over 40 years as 'pastor' and in his inimitable
style, Dr. Lowery delivered the benediction on the occasion of
President Barack Obama's
inauguration as the 44th President of the United States in 2009. Later that year,
President Obama awarded him the nation's highest civilian honor,
The Presidential Medal of Freedom, in recognition of his
lifelong commitment to the nonviolent struggle for the causes of
justice, human rights, economic equality, voting rights, peace and
human dignity.
Please pray and respect the privacy of the entire Lowery family
during this difficult time. The family will not be conducting
interviews during this grieving period.
NOTE: W. Imara Canady, JELI Board
Member is available to answer questions.
CONTACT:
Edrea Davis, Joseph and Evelyn
Lowery Institute for Justice & Human Rights
W. Imara Canady, Joseph and Evelyn
Lowery Institute for Justice & Human Rights Board
Member
Email: edmedia@dogonvillage.com
Phone: 770.961.6200/818.613.9521
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SOURCE Joseph and Evelyn Lowery Institute for Justice &
Human Rights