Curtis W. Harris
Encyclopedia
Curtis West Harris, Sr. is a minister, civil rights
activist, and politician
in Virginia
, USA.
. Later in that year, he protested the segregation of the Hopewell swimming pool, which eventually led to the pool's closure.
In 1960, he initiated the Hopewell Improvement Association, an affiliate of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference
was elected Vice President. He was named to the Board of Directors of the National SCLC in 1961 while Martin Luther King, Jr.
was president. Harris worked with Dr. King on many civil rights initiatives, including the Selma to Montgomery marches
. Harris cites Dr. King as one of his mentors in the civil rights movement.
He served as president of the Virginia State Unit of SCLC from 1963–1998, and was elected the National SCLC Vice President in 2005.
In 1987, he led a march against discrimination
in Colonial Heights, Virginia. In 1996, he filed a discrimination complaint against a Fort Lee, Virginia military unit.
minister in 1959. On December 16, 2007, he retired as pastor of the Union Baptist Church in Hopewell, Virginia after forty-six years in the ministry. He was elected to the Hopewell
City Council in 1986 and in 1998, he was sworn in as the first African-American mayor of Hopewell. Rev. Harris remains active in his community and is still a member of the Hopewell City Council.
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
activist, and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, USA.
Civil rights work
Harris' civil rights work began in 1950 with his stint as President of the Hopewell chapter of the NAACP. In 1960, he was arrested and sentenced to 60 days in jail for his role in a sit-in at a segregated drugstore in Hopewell, VirginiaHopewell, Virginia
Hopewell is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 22,591 at the 2010 Census . It is in Tri-Cities area of the Richmond-Petersburg region and is a portion of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. Later in that year, he protested the segregation of the Hopewell swimming pool, which eventually led to the pool's closure.
In 1960, he initiated the Hopewell Improvement Association, an affiliate of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference
Southern Christian Leadership Conference
The Southern Christian Leadership Conference is an African-American civil rights organization. SCLC was closely associated with its first president, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr...
was elected Vice President. He was named to the Board of Directors of the National SCLC in 1961 while Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the...
was president. Harris worked with Dr. King on many civil rights initiatives, including the Selma to Montgomery marches
Selma to Montgomery marches
The Selma to Montgomery marches were three marches in 1965 that marked the political and emotional peak of the American civil rights movement. They grew out of the voting rights movement in Selma, Alabama, launched by local African-Americans who formed the Dallas County Voters League...
. Harris cites Dr. King as one of his mentors in the civil rights movement.
He served as president of the Virginia State Unit of SCLC from 1963–1998, and was elected the National SCLC Vice President in 2005.
In 1987, he led a march against discrimination
Discrimination
Discrimination is the prejudicial treatment of an individual based on their membership in a certain group or category. It involves the actual behaviors towards groups such as excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that are available to another group. The term began to be...
in Colonial Heights, Virginia. In 1996, he filed a discrimination complaint against a Fort Lee, Virginia military unit.
Other professional work
Curtis W. Harris was ordained a BaptistBaptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
minister in 1959. On December 16, 2007, he retired as pastor of the Union Baptist Church in Hopewell, Virginia after forty-six years in the ministry. He was elected to the Hopewell
Hopewell, Virginia
Hopewell is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 22,591 at the 2010 Census . It is in Tri-Cities area of the Richmond-Petersburg region and is a portion of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area...
City Council in 1986 and in 1998, he was sworn in as the first African-American mayor of Hopewell. Rev. Harris remains active in his community and is still a member of the Hopewell City Council.
External links
- Curtis Harris 2003 oral history video from the Voices of Freedom Collection of the VCU Libraries