Jones, Jr., William Augustus, Reverend Doctor.

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The Reverend Augustus Jones, Jr. (1934-2006), Baptist preacher, activist, author, professor, and pastor of Brooklyn' s Bethany Baptist Church for forty-three years, was born to Mary Elizabeth Gill and Reverend William Augustus Jones, Sr., in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1934. His birth was viewed as a "medical miracle" because his mother had developed a very bad case of toxemia. William Augustus Jones, Jr. had much to live up to. As the son and grandson of Baptist ministers, Jones was influenced by both. "My father was well educated and never envinced the notion that there existed any dichotomy between logic and spirit, or between faith and feeling. "As a young man, Jones served in the U.S. Army (1953-56). He then attended the University of Kentucky graduating with honors in sociology. In 1958, Jones married Natalie Barkley Brown of Louisville and became pastor of the First Baptist Church in Paschall, PA. He attended Crozer Theological Seminary earning a divinity degree (1961) and received his doctorate from Colgate Rochester Divinity School (1975). In 1962, Reverend Jones arrived at Brooklyn's Bethany Baptist Church. By 1973, 2000 new members had joined the congregation, a new buuilding was built (at $1,250,000), and 90% of Bethany's graduates were completing college. Jones admitted that " ... Bethany had provided rich, fertile soil for my maturation as a Christian minister." Reverened Jones sermonized at St. Patrick's Cathedral (New York), the First All-Asian Baptist Church Congress (India), the International Congress on Preaching (Edinburgh), and on radio and television. He taught pastroral courses at Colgate Rochester, Union Theological Seminary in New York, Princeton Theological Seminary, United Theological Seminary formerly of Dayton, Ohio, now in Trotwood, Ohio, and Wesley Seminary in Washington, D.C. Reverend Jones also became involved and served as national president of Operation Breadbasket, the economic arm of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference founded by Martin Luther King, Jr. He was chair of the New York Chapter of SCLC in the late 1960's and actively took part in numerous protests, including a boycott against the Atlantic & Pacific stores for their discrimination against blacks. He was a member of the Progressive National Baptist Convention and served as its president from 1978-80. Jones founded the National Black Pastors' Conference, an interdenominational gathering of black clergy and was a member of the General Council of the Baptist World Alliance. Reverend Jones wrote several books and received numerous awards and honors---Ebony Magazine which named Jones one of the top fifteen black preachers in America (1984); honorary doctorates that included a Doctor of Humanities Degree from the University of Kentucky; and the New York Urban Leagues' Frederick Douglass Award (1972). In addition, Jones was awarded a number of citations and proclamations. Revered William Augustus Jones, Jr., was referred to as "the trumpet." His inspirational sermons were heard not only in Brooklyn but around the country and the world. Jones preached on every continent. Although preaching the gospel was his forte, he believed that improving economic conditions for the black community was equally important and he was always actively involved in many civil and human rights movements. Reverend Dr. William Augustus Jones, Jr., died in Brooklyn, New York, on February 4, 2006. His survivors included wife Natalie of Brooklyn; four children; three brothers; two sisters; and eight grandchildren.

From the description of The Papers of Reverend Dr. William Augustus Jones, Jr., 195?-199?. (Brooklyn College). WorldCat record id: 422598749

Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Baptist World Alliance. corporateBody
associatedWith Bethany Baptist Church (Brooklyn, New York, N.Y.) corporateBody
associatedWith Jones Jr., William Augustus. person
associatedWith Progressive National Baptist Convention. corporateBody
associatedWith Southern Christian Leadership Conference. corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
United States
Subject
African American clergy
Baptists
Clergy
Occupation
Activity

Person

Active 0195

Active 0199

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