Senate Resolution No. 3113
BY: Senator PARKER
MOURNING the death of Dr. Joseph E. Lowery,
revered civil rights icon, devoted family man and
dedicated member of his community
WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to pay tribute to
citizens whose lifework and civic endeavor served to enhance the quality
of life in their communities and the great State of New York; and
WHEREAS, With feelings of deepest regret, this Legislative Body
records the passing of Dr. Joseph E. Lowery, revered civil rights icon,
devoted family man and dedicated member of his community, who died on
Friday, March 27, 2020, at the age of 98; and
WHEREAS, Joseph Lowery was born to Leroy and Dora Lowery on October
6, 1921, in Huntsville, Alabama; his mother was a teacher and his father
owned a small business; and
WHEREAS, Joseph E. Lowery, who graduated from William Hooper Council
High School, went on to attend Knoxville College and Alabama A & M
College, before graduating from Paine College; and
WHEREAS, Believing ministry was his true calling, Joseph E. Lowery
attended ministerial training at Payne Theological Seminary in
Wilberforce, Ohio; he then completed his Doctor of Divinity degree at
the Chicago Ecumenical Institute; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Joseph E. Lowery would eventually become a pastor in
several churches, among them, the Warren Street United Methodist Church
in Mobile, Alabama, and Central United Methodist Church in Atlanta,
Georgia; and
WHEREAS, By 1950, Dr. Joseph E. Lowery was fully involved in the
brewing civil rights movement; two years later, along with Dr. Martin
Luther King, they founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference,
an organization devoted to human rights; and
WHEREAS, In 1965, at the request of Dr. Martin Luther King, Dr.
Joseph E. Lowery participated in the historical march from Selma to
Montgomery; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Joseph E. Lowery's determination to continue to carry
the torch of the civil rights movement led him to the founding of the
Black Leadership Forum, an organization which played a key role in
protesting apartheid in South Africa; and
WHEREAS, In 1997, the National Association for the Advancement of
Colored People (NAACP) christened Dr. Joseph E. Lowery the "Dean of the
civil rights movement"; when he was 69 years-old, Ebony magazine named
him, One of the 15 Greatest Preachers; and
WHEREAS, This esteemed Reverend was known for his sense of humor,
captivating delivery, and fiery skill with words, all of which he
demonstrated at President Barack Obama's inauguration; and
WHEREAS, Predeceased by his wife, Evelyn (Gibson) Lowery, Dr. Joseph
E. Lowery is survived by his three daughters, Yvonne, Karen, and
Cheryl; and his two sons, Joseph Jr. and LeRoy III; and
WHEREAS, Armed with a humanistic spirit and imbued with a sense of
compassion, Dr. Joseph E. Lowery leaves behind a legacy which will long
endure the passage of time and will remain as a comforting memory to all
he served and befriended; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
mourn the death of Dr. Joseph E. Lowery, and to express its deepest
condolences to his family; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the family of Dr. Joseph E. Lowery.
