Welcome to the Evolving Man Project’s ‘Evolved Man of the Week’ profiles. Each week we will highlight an individual that embodies what it means to be an evolved man, famous and non-famous men alike. The world needs to know their stories and deeds. This week’s honor goes to activist, veteran, religious scholar, author, and pastor emeritus, Doctor Reverend Jeremiah A. Wright.
Jeremiah Wright was born in Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1941. Jeremiah left college and joined the United States Marine 2nd Marine Division and U.S. Navy as a corpsman in the late 1960s. Rev. Wright attained a B.A. and M.A. in English at Howard University. Also, Rev. Wright has an M.A. from the University of Chicago Divinity School and a Doctor of Ministry from the United Theological Seminary.
Rev. Wright served as pastor emeritus at Trinity United Church of Christ from 1972 to 2008. He retired from the ministry in 2008 amid controversy surrounding his sermons and his connection to former president Barack Obama during the 2008 presidential election. This lead to then-presidential candidate Obama to give his “A More Perfect Union“ Speech and separating himself from Wright’s congregation.
During the years, Rev. Wright served as a professor at the Chicago Theological Seminary, Garrett-Evangelical Seminary, and several other educational institutions. He has served on the Board of trustees and directors with several religious and civic organizations. Rev. Wright is the recipient of the Rockefeller Fellowship and has received several honorary doctorate degrees from Colgate University, Lincoln University, Valparaiso University, and United Theological Seminary. He was also recognized as one of Ebony Magazines’ top 15 preachers in 2008.
Here is Rev. Wright his own words about the historical and political hypocrisy of the United States Government’s policies regarding black Americans.
“For every one Oprah, a billionaire, you’ve got 5 million blacks who out of work. For every one Colin Powell, a millionaire, you’ve got 10 million blacks who cannot read. For every one Condoskeeza Rice, you’ve got 1 million in prison. For every one Tiger Woods, who needs to get beat, at the Masters, with his cap, blazin’ hips playing on a course that discriminates against women. God has his way of bringing you up short when you get to big for your cap, blazin britches. For every one Tiger Woods, we got 10,000 black kids who will never see a golf course. The United States government has failed the vast majority of her citizens of African descent.”
Today we honor Rev. Jeremiah Wright has our Evolved Man of the Week.
Evolving Man Project 