Addressing the theme, “Hands Up for Peace; Hands Up For Justice; Hands Up For God!” the Rev. Forrest E. Harris, president of the American Baptist College (affectionately called “Holy Hill”) located in Nashville, Tenn., will be the keynote speaker for the 2015 Kansas City, Kan., Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Celebration at 11 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 19, at the Jack Reardon Civic Center, at 5th and Minnesota.
Harris, who holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from Vanderbilt University Divinity School, is recognized as being a scholar, theological educator and visionary for prophetic Christianity in the black church tradition. His undergraduate degrees include Bachelor of Arts from Knoxville College, Bachelor of Theology from American Baptist College, and he also holds a Master of Divinity from Vanderbilt University Divinity School. At Vanderbilt, he was named a Benjamin E. Mays Fellow and recipient of the Florence Conwell prize for preaching.
During the past 30 years, he has been a former pastor, branch president of the NAACP, leader of numerous community activist projects, director of Black Church Studies at a major university, a respected preacher teacher and lecturer. Harris is accredited the distinction of making a significant contribution to the academy and the church by bridging academic theology with the practical ministry needs of the church.
American Baptist College was a fledging black college with a great history and significant academic mission when Harris took the helm as president in 1999. Since becoming president of ABC, Harris has spearheaded transformative changes in the academic programs among which is the launching of the school’s first graduate studies program, a master’s degree program in clinical counseling for church and community leaders.
The college has recently seen extensive renovation of campus facilities including the new construction of a Leadership Development Center named in honor of Georgia Congressman John R. Lewis and the Reverend Julius R. Scruggs, president of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc..
In addition, Harris has successfully spearheaded efforts that resulted in the Lilly Endowment awarding the ABC several million dollars in support of programs to sustain pastoral excellence and vibrant ministries in black churches.
In addition to being a college president, Harris since 1998 has been the director of Vanderbilt Divinity School’s Kelly Miller Smith Institute on Black Church Studies and serves on the faculty of Vanderbilt Divinity School.
Harris led Vanderbilt Divinity School to establishing a $1.8 million endowment for the Black Studies program, the first endowed black church studies program in the country. Through the institute at Vanderbilt, and with grants from the Lilly Endowment and the Pew Charitable Trust, Harris coordinated a national ecumenical dialogue on “What Does It Mean To Be Black and Christian?” Over 12,000 people participated in this national discussion resulting in the publication of two books: “What Does It Mean To Be Black And Christian: Pulpit, Pew and Academy in Dialogue,” Townsend Press; and “What Does It Mean To Be Black And Christian: the Meaning of the African American Church.” Harris has published several journal articles and has received national acclaim.
Harris received a journalism prize, cash award from The Journal of Intergroup Relations, and the Association of Human Rights Workers for his article, “South Africa Beyond Apartheid.”
As a member of the Ecumenical Association of Third World Theologians, Harris traveled to Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1993, and as a member of the Human Rights Commission of the Baptist World Alliance, traveled to Hong Kong, China, England, Vancouver, Canada, and Durban South Africa where he presented papers on topics related to human rights, global and ethnic conflict. Serving as co-chair of the Freedom and Justice Commission for the BWA, Harris assisted in coordinating panel discussions on violations of human rights and religious freedom in Mexico City, Ghana and Amsterdam.
Under his pastorate at Pleasant Green Baptist Church in Nashville, Tenn., Harris was instrumental in establishing a progressive social ministry aimed at the transformation of the community. He established the first church based Community Development Corporation in Nashville (the Pleasant Green Community Development Corporation).
Harris has served on the board of directors of numerous organizations, including the Chicago Theological Seminary and the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU). In addition, Harris has served as a member of 100 Black Men of Middle Tennessee and is a member of the Nashville Sports Authority and Life Member of the NAACP.
For seven years, Harris was a federal compliance officer with the Energy and Research Development Administration, Oak Ridge Tenn. As a senior compliance officer, Harris received a Special Achievement Certificate Cash Award for negotiating a $1.2 million affected class remedy for minorities and females in the Southeast United States.
In 1975, Harris resigned his position in the federal government to respond to a call to prepare for the Christian preaching ministry. Harris is a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and the Chi Boule of the Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, Nashville Chapter.
Harris is the son of Mr. and Mrs. W.T. and Sallie Mae Harris of Memphis, Tenn. He has a twin brother and seven other sisters and brothers. He is married to Jacqueline Borum Harris, and they have four children; Kara, Elliot, Jr., Morgan and Alexis.
The King Holiday Mass Celebration and Motorcade-March for Hunger will be held on the actual holiday, Monday, Jan. 19. The Motorcade will start assembling at 9 a.m. and will depart promptly at 10 a.m. from the Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 5th and Richmond, Kansas City, Kan. It will take travel through the community and will arrive at the Jack Reardon Civic Center, 5th and Minnesota, in time for the Mass Celebration.
The Motorcade For Hunger is being assisted through the motorcade coordinator, Frank Lavender with the assistance of the Prince Hall Lodge – Widow’s Sons Lodge No. 17, United Way, and Youth Build. Shuttle services are being planned.
The Mass Celebration will start at 11 a.m. with selections from the MLK Mass Choir under the direction of Mrs. Alicia Saunders.
Praise dancing featuring the Greater Pentecostal Temple Praise Dance Ministry and the Men of Worship and the Creative Movements Dance Team, Techniques –N-Dance will be presented.
The celebration will include youth highlights through the MLK Youth Program, which will feature local youth talent and performances by local elementary students and the V. Lindsay S D A School.
Over $30,000.00 in scholarships will be awarded to graduating high school seniors through the Rev. C.E. Taylor – MLK, Jr. Educational Awards Program, and the annual scholarship award winners will be announced and students will be on hand to receive their educational scholarship awards.
This year’s celebration will include a College Fair, coordinated by the Olive Branch Lodge No. 74 in partnership with professional enrollment managers from various colleges and universities. This will give colleges and technical schools an opportunity to share their colleges and degree programs with high school students who are interested.
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Special accommodations will be made for the physically challenged and the hearing impaired. A sign language interpreter will also be on hand.
There will be a voter registration booth set up by the NAACP with official registrars in attendance to conduct on-the-spot registrations for persons not registered to vote.
This year’s celebration is sponsored by: Sprint, The Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, Happy Food Stores–Happy Foods North, Board of Public Utilities, Unified Government of Wyandotte County-Kansas City, Kansas, Construction and General Laborers AFL-CIO No. 1290, Hilton Garden Inn, Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, the Raphael Hotel Group, Mark One Electric Co., Inc., Landmark Mortgage Co – Americo, Evans and Mullinix Law Firm, PRIME Health Care Services – Providence Hospital, The Community Foundation of Wyandotte County, J.E. Dunn Construction Co. and Dunn Family Foundation, Kansas City Kansas Chamber of Commerce and the McAnany VanCleave and Phillips Law Firm.
Kaw Valley District Ushers, Prince Hall Masons, F and AM and PRIDE will assist in seating and management.
The King Day celebration is open to the public.
– Information from LaVert Murray, general coordinator of the King Day celebration