Civil Rights Hero and Recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Rev. Dr. C.T. Vivian, To Visit Baylor’s Campus

March 4, 2016
Rev. Dr. C.T. Vivian

Rev. Dr. C.T. Vivian, courtesy photo

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WACO, Texas (March 4, 2016) – The Baylor University Academy for Leader Development will host the Rev. Dr. C.T. Vivian, recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 15, in Waco Hall.
Vivian, a civil rights activist and pastor, has used his position to stand up for the rights of others and was in the vanguard in the struggle for racial equality. In 1947, Vivian was a part of a successful non-violent attempt to end segregation in Peoria, Illinois. In 1955, he worked with other ministers to found the National Christian Leadership Conference, an affiliate of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).
"It is an immense honor and privilege to have the opportunity to host the Rev. Dr. C.T. Vivian," said Amy Kellner, student leadership coordinator for Baylor's Academy for Leader Development. "His impactful leadership assisted in the successful movements to pass both the Civil Rights Bill and Voting Rights Act. He is one of the greatest leaders in America's history and is still improving our nation with his activism."
In 1963, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. asked Vivian to work on the executive staff of the SCLC as national director of affiliates. After leaving the SCLC, Vivian moved to the Urban Training Center for Christian Missions in Chicago, where he trained clergy and community leaders.
In 1972, he became the director of Seminary Without Walls at Shaw University Divinity School in Raleigh, North Carolina. In 2013, he was invited to the White House and honored by President Obama with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor. Vivian has provided civil rights counsel to the U.S. presidential administrations of Lyndon B. Johnson, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.
"Rev. Vivian has devoted his life to make this country a better, more just place, all the while remaining deeply rooted in the church," said Victor J. Hinojosa, Ph.D., associate professor of political science for Baylor's Honors College. "Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. famously called Rev. Vivian the greatest preacher he ever heard. He continues to push us and inspire us today."
Vivian founded and serves as the dean of the Urban Institute at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta.
"I hope Vivian's visit will inspire our students and help them think about the kind of service they will engage in and the kind of life they will lead when they graduate," Hinojosa said.
Admission is free and open to the public but requires a ticket. Tickets are available at the Bill Daniel Student Center Ticket Office from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Any remaining tickets will be available at the Waco Hall Ticket Office beginning at 5 p.m. on the day of the event.
For more information or to request group tickets, contact Amy Kellner, 254-710-4187.
by Bethany Harper, student newswriter, (254) 710-6805
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Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 16,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.