Howard Thurman
On this date, in 1899, Howard Thurman was born. He was a Black author, theologian, civil and human rights activist, and educator.
Thurman was from Daytona Beach, FL, and studied at Morehouse College, Rochester Theological Center, and Haverford College. He was named by Life magazine as one of the 12 great preachers of the 20th century. He served as a pastor at a Baptist church in Ohio and as the dean of the chapel at Howard University from 1932 to 1944. Until 1953, he also served at an interracial and interdenominational Fellowship Church he founded in San Francisco.
From there, he served at Boston University until his retirement. Thurman was one of the leading theologians of his time, writing the book "The Negro Spiritual Speaks of Life and Death." He wrote 19 others, including his autobiography, in 1979.
Howard Thurman died on April 10, 1981.
The African American Desk Reference
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
Copyright 1999 The Stonesong Press Inc. and
The New York Public Library, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Pub.
ISBN 0-471-23924-0
