Exilic Existence Contributions of Black Churches in Prince Edward County, Virginia During the Modern Civil Rights Movement

Reflections from Friends and fellow Ministers I met The Reverend J. Samuel Williams, Jr., on the campus of Shaw University in 1959, and I am privileged to call him a friend for more than fifty years. Having known him as I have, I am not surprised but greatly impressed with the fact that he has seen fit to include the contributions of Black churches to the modern Civil Rights movement. He has chronicled the call of God and the response of humans for the sake of human decency with expertise and exactness in this moving book. It was my delight to have had dealings with his two most meaningful mentors, the late Reverend Drs. Vernon Johns and L. Francis Griffin, and I am sure that you will discover their role in the development of Brother Williams as he made contributions to the civil rights movement with his leadership, articulation and involvement of others in the struggle. In Exilic Existence, the reader will find several detailed accounts of the marriage of church and culture for the cause of decency and dignity among those who are too often considered the least and the left out in this society. Percy L. High--Durham, North Carolina It was my pleasure as a young college student attending the First Baptist Church in Farmville, Virginia to make the acquaintance of the Pastor, the Reverend Dr. J. Samuel Williams, Jr. Little did I know that I was in the presence of a Civil Rights activist with his finger on the pulse of the unrelenting, Movement. This historical record, Exilic Existence..., captures for future generations, important details disclosing and preserving the identities of individuals and documenting incidents which have contributed significantly to the report of our story in History. How fitting that the report is set straight by a Prophet from Prince Edward County. A must read for everyone who wants to know what really happened to bring us to this place in social justice and human equality. Dr. Carla E. Lightfoot, Immediate Past President of the Baptist Ministers Conference of Richmond and Vicinity (2007-2010) Associate Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies, Richmond Virginia Seminary