Jawanza colvin biography of barack

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- For decades they were three of the brightest stars in Cleveland's political universe -- the Rev.

Otis Moss Jr., the Rev. Marvin McMickle and the Rev. C. Jay Matthews.

Politicians, regardless of race, could not win city- or county-wide elections without paying calls to these three charismatic luminaries who so strongly influenced the black vote.

But Moss retired nearly three years ago. McMickle, of Antioch Baptist Church, is in the process of leaving town to run a seminary in New York.

Jawanza colvin biography of barack In , he was inducted into the Morehouse College Board of Preachers. He also holds six honorary degrees from colleges and universities in the United States. The doctorate he is pursuing now specializes in education and adult leadership. Martin Luther King, Jr.

And Matthews faces prison after pleading guilty Friday to stealing money from the payroll at Mt. Sinai Baptist Church.

So who replaces this triumvirate? Where are the voices that can call the black community to social and political action and galvanize an effective electorate?

No one interviewed for this story -- religious or secular -- believes the fading of Moss, McMickle and Matthews will leave a vacuum in Cleveland's black Christian leadership.

There are plenty of young charismatic black ministers, they say, to continue the work of building community and battling racial oppression.

And nearly every observer interviewed placed the Rev. Jawanza Colvin at the top of the list.

Colvin, 36, succeeded Moss, 76, two years ago as pastor of Olivet Institutional Baptist Church on Quincy Avenue.

"I've had the privilege of serving a congregation that has historically been engaged in social action and social justice," Colvin said Friday, noting that Olivet, with 3, members, is one of the largest black congregations in the city.

"The leadership is clearly changing, but at the same time pastors Moss, McMickle and Matthews have provided a great template for myself and others."

Some of the others, Colvin said, include the Rev. Cory Jenkins of Shiloh Baptist Church on Scovill Avenue; the Rev. Gerald Cooper of St. James AME on Cedar Avenue; the Rev. Mark Johnson of Liberty Hill Baptist Church on Euclid Avenue; and the Rev. Courtney Clayton Jenkins of Euclid Avenue Congregational Church.

They are generally from the same generation.

"We didn't have the same experiences as our elders, but we heard the stories about those who fought and died," said Colvin.

"We are beneficiaries of the struggles. We've experienced higher education and better opportunities.

"We are the children of the civil rights generation and we have the responsibility to be stewards of the struggle."

Even McMickle gives a nod to Colvin as a standout among up-and-coming ministers.

"I'm excited about this new team moving up," he said.

Biography of barack obama Caviness, 84, of Greater Abyssinia Church on East th Street, remains a distinguished leader, still carrying the mantle for black causes. Sinai Baptist Church. Metro Cleveland's black religious community seeing a change in leadership Updated: Sep. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"I'm urging people to call me less and call them more."

Some observers noted that the Rev. E. T. Caviness, 84, of Greater Abyssinia Church on East th Street, remains a distinguished leader, still carrying the mantle for black causes. And Moss, at times, comes out of retirement to answer the call.

"The black church is not losing its historical prominence," said state Senator Nina Turner, adding to the list the Rev.

Robin Hedgeman of Bethany Christian Church in the Miles-Harvard area and the Rev. Ronald Maxwell of Affinity Missionary Baptist Church on East th Street.

"I don't think there's a vacuum. It's more of a passing of the baton."

Retired U.S. Rep. Louis Stokes said that to suggest the sidelining of Moss, McMickle and Matthews would create a vacuum in Cleveland's black Christian leadership would be grossly inaccurate.

"When Martin Luther King was shot, the press was saying, 'What's the black community going to do now?'" said Stokes.

"Well, we had black leaders all over the country."

Though there may not be a leadership vacuum in Cleveland's black faith community, certainly Matthews' church, Mt. Sinai Baptist on Woodland Avenue, faces a leadership vacuum if Matthews goes to prison. He's facing up to two years behind bars.

Neither Matthews nor his lawyer returned calls.

Matthews' wife Jacquelyn Farris-Matthews is the assistant pastor at the church.

Jawanza colvin biography of barack obama Among his recognitions include induction in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Colvin is expected to give his first sermon later this month. Colvin next served as assistant to the senior minister for children at Metropolitan Baptist Church in Washington, D. Read Here.

A woman answering the phone at Mt. Sinai said no one was available to discuss the church's future.

But Cleveland Councilman Jeff Johnson said Matthews will remain active in the community and his church as long as he's not behind bars.

"We're still going to invite him to community meetings," said Johnson who served prison time himself for a kickback scheme and later returned to public office.

"And after he clears this up, one way or the other, he'll come back to the table. This is only a temporary loss of an outstanding leader."