Abernathy, Ralph David

Abernathy, Ralph David
born March 11, 1926, Linden, Ala., U.S.
died April 17, 1990, Atlanta, Ga.

U.S. pastor and civil rights leader.

He was educated at Alabama State University and Atlanta University. Ordained a Baptist minister in 1948, he became pastor of the First Baptist Church in Montgomery, Ala., in 1951. He met Martin Luther King, Jr., a few years later when the latter became pastor of another Baptist church in Montgomery. In 195556 the two men organized a nonviolent boycott of the city bus system, marking the beginning of the U.S. civil rights movement. In 1957 they founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Abernathy became its president on King's assassination in 1968; in 1977 he resigned to resume work as a pastor in Atlanta. His autobiography, And the Walls Came Tumbling Down, appeared in 1989.

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American religious leader and civil-rights activist
born March 11, 1926, Linden, Ala., U.S.
died April 17, 1990, Atlanta, Ga.
 black American pastor and civil-rights leader who was Martin Luther King (King, Martin Luther, Jr.)'s chief aide and closest associate during the civil rights movement of the 1950s and '60s.

      The son of a successful farmer, Abernathy was ordained as a Baptist minister in 1948 and graduated with a B.S. degree from Alabama State University in 1950. His interest then shifted from mathematics to sociology, and he earned an M.A. degree in the latter from Atlanta University in 1951. That same year he became pastor of the First Baptist Church in Montgomery, Ala., and he met King a few years later when the latter became pastor of another Baptist church in the same city. In 195556 the two men organized a boycott by black citizens of the Montgomery bus system that forced the system's racial desegregation in 1956. This nonviolent boycott marked the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement that was to desegregate American society during the following two decades.

      King and Abernathy continued their close collaboration as the Civil Rights Movement gathered momentum, and in 1957 they founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC; with King as president and Abernathy as secretary-treasurer) to organize the nonviolent struggle against segregation throughout the South. In 1961 Abernathy relocated his pastoral activities to Atlanta, and that year he was named vice president at large of the SCLC and King's designated successor there. He continued as King's chief aide and closest adviser until King's assassination in 1968, at which time Abernathy succeeded him as president of the SCLC. He headed that organization until his resignation in 1977, after which he resumed his work as the pastor of a Baptist church in Atlanta. His autobiography, And the Walls Came Tumbling Down, appeared in 1989.

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  • Abernathy,Ralph David — Ab·er·nath·y (ăbʹər năth ē), Ralph David. 1926 1990. American civil rights leader who was a founder and president (1968 1977) of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. * * * …   Universalium

  • Abernathy, Ralph David — (11 mar. 1926, Linden, Ala., EE.UU.–17 ago. 1990, Atlanta, Ga.). Pastor y líder del movimiento por los derechos civiles en EE.UU. Estudió en la Universidad Estatal de Alabama y en la Universidad de Atlanta. En 1948 se ordenó ministro bautista y… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Ralph David Abernathy — Ralph Abernathy 1968 Ralph David Abernathy [ˈæbɚnæθɪ] (* 11. März 1926 in Linden, Alabama; † 17. April 1990 in Atlanta) war ein US amerikanischer Bürgerrechtler sowie baptisti …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Ralph David Abernathy — Ralph Abernathy Ralph Abernathy au National Press Club en 1968 Ralph David Abernathy (1926 1990) fut un défenseur américain des droits civiques. Né à Linden, en Alabama, le 11 mars 1926. Fils d un fermier, il obtint un diplôme de mathématiques en …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Ralph David Abernathy — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Ralph Abernathy en el National Press Club luncheon. Fotografía de Warren K. Leffler, 14 de junio de 1968 Ralph David Albernathy (11 de marzo de 1926, Linden, Alabama 17 de abril de 1990 …   Wikipedia Español

  • David — (rey de Israel) V. «lágrimas de David». * * * David. □ V. estrella de David, lágrimas de David. * * * Esta página se refiere al rey bíblico de Israel. Para otros significados del término véase David (desambiguación). David (דָּוִד Amado ) fue el… …   Enciclopedia Universal

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  • ralph — /ralf/, v.i. Slang. to vomit. [1970 75; appar. of expressive orig.] * * * (as used in expressions) Abernathy Ralph David Blakelock Ralph Bunche Ralph Johnson Connor Ralph Cudworth Ralph Earnhardt Ralph Dale Ehrlich Paul Ralph Ellison Ralph Waldo… …   Universalium

  • Ralph — /ralf/ or, esp. Brit., /rayf, rahf, rahlf/, n. a male given name: from Old Norse words meaning counsel and wolf. * * * (as used in expressions) Abernathy Ralph David Blakelock Ralph Bunche Ralph Johnson Connor Ralph Cudworth Ralph Earnhardt Ralph …   Universalium

  • Ralph — (as used in expressions) Abernathy, Ralph David Blakelock, Ralph Bunche, Ralph (Johnson) Connor, Ralph Cudworth, Ralph Earnhardt, (Ralph) Dale Ehrlich, Paul R(alph) Ellison, Ralph (Waldo) Emerson, Ralph Waldo Gustafson, Ralph (Barker) Lauren,… …   Enciclopedia Universal

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