Fauntroy, Walter E.

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The Reverend Walter Edward Fauntroy was born in Washington, D.C., on February 6, 1933, to Ethel Vine and William T. Fauntroy. Graduating from Virginia Union University with a B.A. in 1955 and from Yale University Divinity School with a B.D. in 1958. The following year he became pastor of his childhood church, New Bethel Baptist Church in Washington, D.C, where he still serves as pastor.

In 1961, Fauntroy was appointed by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as director of the Washington Bureau of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. He then worked as the Washington, D.C., coordinator of the historic 1963 March on Washington and directed the 1965 Selma to Montgomery March, the 1966 Meredith Mississippi Freedom March, and the 1983 20th Anniversary March on Washington. In 1966, Fauntroy founded and served as the president of the Model Inner City Community Organization, a group committed to community development and neighborhood development.

In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed Fauntroy vice chairman of the White House's "To Fulfill These Rights" conference. One year later, Johnson appointed him vice chairman of the Council of the District of Columbia, and in 1971 Fauntroy was elected as the District of Columbia's delegate to Congress. He served ten terms in this role and designed and engineered many significant changes in national public policy. He was also one of the founding members of the Congressional Black Caucus. Fauntroy served for six years, as chair of the Subcommittee on International Development, Finance, Trade and Monetary Policy while he was member of the House Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs Committee. In 1977 Fauntroy founded the National Black Leadership Roundtable for leaders of National African American organizations. Fauntroy was chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus Brain Trust on Black Voter Participation and Network Development.

In 1984, Fauntroy was arrested at the South African Embassy as part of the Free South Africa Movement. Fauntroy is married to Dorothy Simms and they have two children: Marvin Keith and Melissa Alice.

From The HistoryMakers™ biography: https://www.thehistorymakers.org/biography/A2003.016

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Wise, Ozeline. Papers, 1854-1988 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Floyd B. McKissick Papers, 1940s-1980s University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection
referencedIn King, Martin Luther, Jr., 1929-1968. Southern Christian Leadership Conference administrative records, 1957-1968. Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial Center
referencedIn Oliver Tambo papers University of Connecticut. Libraries
creatorOf Fauntroy, Walter E. Walter E. Fauntroy papers, 1941-1990, bulk 1960-1990. George Washington University
creatorOf Moore, Scott Lee. Papers, 1981-1985. Duke University Libraries, Duke University Library; Perkins Library
referencedIn Angela Davis Legal defense collection, 1970-1972 Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Archives Section
creatorOf NONMUSIC RECORDING (COLLECTION) Audio materials, 1956-1977 National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Audio materials, 1956-1977 [sound recording]. Library of Congress
referencedIn Gordon, Martin K. District of Columbia home rule research collection, 1788-1980 (bulk 1971-1980). Historical Society of Washington, D.C.
referencedIn Guide to the Daily Worker and Daily World Photographs Collection, 1920-2001 Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
referencedIn Papers, 1854-1988 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Floyd B. McKissick Papers, 1940s-1980s University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf The HistoryMakers Video Oral History with The Honorable Reverend Walter Fauntroy The HistoryMakers
Relation Name
associatedWith Communist Party of the United States of America. corporateBody
associatedWith Davis, Angela Y. (Angela Yvonne), 1944- person
associatedWith Gordon, Martin K. person
associatedWith King, Martin Luther, Jr., 1929-1968. person
correspondedWith McKissick, Floyd B. (Floyd Bixler), 1922- person
associatedWith Moore, Scott Lee. person
associatedWith National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. corporateBody
associatedWith New Bethel Baptist Church (Washington, D.C.) corporateBody
associatedWith OZELINE BARRETT (PEARSON) WISE, 1903-1988 person
associatedWith Southern Christian Leadership Conference. corporateBody
associatedWith Tambo, Oliver, 1917- person
associatedWith Wise, Ozeline. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
United States
Washington (D.C.)
Washington (D.C.)
Washington (D.C.)
Washington (D.C.)
Subject
African American civil rights workers
African American legislators
Civil rights
Home rule
March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, Washington, D.C., 1963
Urban renewal
Occupation
Civil Rights Leader
Pastor
U.S. Congressman
Activity

Person

Birth 1933-02-06

Birth 19330206

Information

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SNAC ID: 20845739