Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Rev. C.T. Vivian, 1924–2020

As we stand on the shoulders of many greats like Rev. Vivian, we must ensure to do our part to carry the baton forward

Rev. C.T. Vivian was born July 28, 1924 in Howard Country, Missouri until his mother move the family to Macomb, Illinois when he was a young boy. While being a young theology student at the American Baptist College in Nashville, Rev. Vivian helped found the Nashville Southern Christian Leadership Conference and organized Nashville’s first sit-ins. He traveled around advocating voting rights as the national director of affiliates of SCLC, Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

After the assassination of Dr. King, Rev. Vivian went on to become SCLC’s interim president in 2012 where he provided renewed credibility after some disagreement among the members. He championed nonviolent over violent which caused much dissent and disagreement.

Reverend Vivian was very active with the Civil Rights Movement as a leader with the Southern Leadership Conference. He was a man of insight, wisdom, integrity and dedications. His efforts and dedication expanded over six decades from his fist sit-in in the 1940’s in Peoria, Illinois, later to join forces with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. after Civil Rights Movement’s victorious 1955 Montgomery bus boycott.

He assisted in organizing the Freedom Riders that were instrumental in fighting integration across the south and the Jim Crow Laws as he trained activists to pursue non violent protest even in the face of many beatings and much brutality.

He was bold in challenging segregationist sheriff as he led the fight to register Black voters in Selma which partly sparked their march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in 1965, as they all marched to protest Black voters suppression.

In the face of much devastating adversity, Rev. Vivian was a man of boldness and challenged the status quo directly. To the then Sheriff Jim Clark, Rev. Vivian boldly stated, “ You can turn your back now and you can keep your club in your hand, but you cannot beat down justice. And we will register to vote because as citizens of these United States we have the right to do it.”

As Rev. Vivian protested nonviolently and took this bold stance, Jim Clark, punched him in the mouth. Clark’s action did not deter Rev. Vivian, he got back up as the camera rolled and continued talking to the camera and was later stitched up and taken to jail. This horrendous act was caught on camera and sparked a national outcry as thousands protesters joined the march determined to march from Selma to Montgomery which pressured Congress to pass the Voting Rights Act later that same year.

Above 2013, President Obama honored Rev. Vivian with the President Medal of Freedom for being one of the first in action in 1947 who joined the sit-in to integrate an Illinois restaurant, one of the first Freedom Riders; in Selma, on the courthouse steps to register Blacks to vote, for which he was beaten, blooded and jailed.

Later in life, Rev. Vivian continued to inspire young people to fight for equal rights and justice, and encouraged all to attended college through the now Upward Bound Program. He received noteworthy praise for continually throughout his life for fighting for betterment for achieving equality for all. He continued to advocate for equality and justice speaking with students 50 years after the passage of the Voting Rights Act as he encouraged them to continue the fight for justice, make their voices heard and to keep their message clear.

His commitment to life was summed up by the King Center in Atlanta, “Rev. C.T. Vivian was courageous, brilliant, sacrificial and powerfully well-live life that lifted humanity.”

Rev Al Sharpton, stated, “Vivian made this nation and world a better place.”

In conclusion, C. T. Vivian was a distinguished minister, author, and organizer. A leader in the Civil Rights Movement and friend to Martin Luther King, Jr., he participated in Freedom Rides and sit-ins across our country. Vivian also helped found numerous civil rights organizations, including Vision, the National Anti-Klan Network, and the Center for Democratic Renewal. In 2012, he returned to serve as interim President of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

A legend and Civil Rights Icon because he leaves a legacy for a life that made a difference and will truly be missed but thankful for his contributions to the civil rights and equal rights for all. In the words of Rev. Vivian, “Our voice was really heard.”