Lee began his civil rights career as a student at Alabama State College, from which he was expelled after leading more than half the student body in a march on the Alabama capitol.[1] During demonstrations for equal library access in 1960, he said: "My grandfather had only a prayer to help him. I have a prayer and an education."[2]
Bernard Lee was a courageous student activist, a founding member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). While attending Alabama State University (ASU), he led a sit-in at the Alabama state capitol cafeteria. He was expelled from ASU for the event after the governor threatened the university president, saying he would withhold funding from the HBCU if Lee was not expelled. So, he transferred to Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia to work with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and Martin Luther King Jr, where he contributed to the Poor People’s Campaign and was at King's side after his assassination. Lee later worked for the U.S. Government under President Carter and for Washington D.C. under Mayor Barry (Source NAACP 2014) (http://www.blackpast.org/aah/morris-brown-college-1885)
Lee was King's personal assistant and traveling companion for many years. He was arrested with King in 1960 and left the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in 1961 so that he could work full-time with King and the SCLC. He participated in the 1961 Freedom Rides and helped to orchestrate the Birmingham Campaign in 1963.[3] He went to Chicago with King in 1965. In January 1967, he was one of few in to accompany King to Jamaica while he wrote Where Do We Go From Here?[4]
Lee was closer to King than any other member of the Civil Rights Movement, so much that by some accounts he began to identify with King completely. According to historian Taylor Branch: "Lee had already come to dress like King, walk like King, and even to imitate King's long, measured phrases."[5]
Lee worked on the Poor People's Campaign after King's death in 1968.[3] He also became vice president of the SCLC, which diminished in power over the following years.[6]
Lee was directly privy to FBI targeting of King under COINTELPRO, having been present when King received a letter from the FBI urging him to commit suicide.[3] Lee sued the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in 1977 in an effort to force the destruction of surveillance recordings of King collected during a January 5th, 1963 stay at the Willard Hotel in Washington D.C. Judge John Lewis denied Lee's request and ordered the records to be preserved by the National Archives and sealed until 2027.[7]
Later lifeedit
Lee worked during the Carter administration as a civil rights advisor to the Environmental Protection Agency. During this time he joined with other Black members of the administration to express concern over its policies toward Africa and African Americans.[8]
In 1985, Lee received a master's degree in Divinity from Howard University, and became the chaplain at Lorton Prison in Virginia.[3]
In 1989, he was involved in a public dispute with Ralph Abernathy over Abernathy's book And the Walls Came Tumbling Down. Lee criticized Abernathy's book, which supported rumors about King's extramarital sex life.[9][10]
^Patterson Toby Graham, A Right to Read: Segregation and Civil Rights in Alabama's Public Libraries, 1900-1965, University of Alabama Press, 2002, ISBN9780817311445, pp. 75–76.
^Patterson Toby Graham, A Right to Read: Segregation and Civil Rights in Alabama's Public Libraries, 1900-1965, University of Alabama Press, 2002, ISBN9780817311445, pp. 70–71.
^ abcd"Lee, Bernard Scott (1935-1991)", Martin Luther King, Jr., Research and Education Institute, accessed 7 November 2012.
^Steve Fayer, Henry Hampton, Voices of Freedom: An Oral History of the Civil Rights Movement from the 1950s Through the 1980s, Random House Digital, 1991.
^Taylor Branch, Parting the Waters: America in the King Years 1954-63, New York: 9780671687427, Simon & Schuster, 1989, ISBN , p. 558. (See: America in the King Years.)
^Michael Blim, "Abernathy's civil-rights group falters: Money troubles persist", Christian Science Monitor, 29 August 1974, p. 5B.
^"Judge orders seal on King wiretaps", Deseret News (UPI), 1 February 1977.
^Terrence Smith, "Black Aids Discuss Concern Over Carter Record", New York Times, 16 May 1979; accessed via ProQuest.
^Ralph Abernathy interview with Brian Lamb, C-SPAN, 29 October 1989.
^James S. Kunen, Jane Sanderson, Tom Nugent, Elizabeth Velez, "A Bitter Battle Erupts Over the Last Hours of Martin Luther King", People 32(18), 30 October 1989.
^"Obituary: Rev. Bernard Lee, 55, Civil Rights Advocate". The New York Times. February 14, 1991. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
External linksedit
at the Atlanta History Center
Bernard Lee biography Stanford University Martin Luther King, Jr. Research & Education Institute
January 01, 1970
bernard, activist, bernard, october, 1935, february, 1991, activist, member, southern, christian, leadership, conference, during, civil, rights, movement, associate, martin, luther, king, contents, civil, rights, movement, later, life, also, references, extern. Bernard Lee October 2 1935 February 10 1991 was an activist and member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference during the Civil Rights Movement He was a key associate of Martin Luther King Jr Contents 1 Civil Rights Movement 2 Later life 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksCivil Rights Movement editLee began his civil rights career as a student at Alabama State College from which he was expelled after leading more than half the student body in a march on the Alabama capitol 1 During demonstrations for equal library access in 1960 he said My grandfather had only a prayer to help him I have a prayer and an education 2 Bernard Lee was a courageous student activist a founding member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee SNCC While attending Alabama State University ASU he led a sit in at the Alabama state capitol cafeteria He was expelled from ASU for the event after the governor threatened the university president saying he would withhold funding from the HBCU if Lee was not expelled So he transferred to Morris Brown College in Atlanta Georgia to work with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference SCLC and Martin Luther King Jr where he contributed to the Poor People s Campaign and was at King s side after his assassination Lee later worked for the U S Government under President Carter and for Washington D C under Mayor Barry Source NAACP 2014 http www blackpast org aah morris brown college 1885 Lee was King s personal assistant and traveling companion for many years He was arrested with King in 1960 and left the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee SNCC in 1961 so that he could work full time with King and the SCLC He participated in the 1961 Freedom Rides and helped to orchestrate the Birmingham Campaign in 1963 3 He went to Chicago with King in 1965 In January 1967 he was one of few in to accompany King to Jamaica while he wrote Where Do We Go From Here 4 Lee was closer to King than any other member of the Civil Rights Movement so much that by some accounts he began to identify with King completely According to historian Taylor Branch Lee had already come to dress like King walk like King and even to imitate King s long measured phrases 5 Lee worked on the Poor People s Campaign after King s death in 1968 3 He also became vice president of the SCLC which diminished in power over the following years 6 Lee was directly privy to FBI targeting of King under COINTELPRO having been present when King received a letter from the FBI urging him to commit suicide 3 Lee sued the Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI in 1977 in an effort to force the destruction of surveillance recordings of King collected during a January 5th 1963 stay at the Willard Hotel in Washington D C Judge John Lewis denied Lee s request and ordered the records to be preserved by the National Archives and sealed until 2027 7 Later life editLee worked during the Carter administration as a civil rights advisor to the Environmental Protection Agency During this time he joined with other Black members of the administration to express concern over its policies toward Africa and African Americans 8 In 1985 Lee received a master s degree in Divinity from Howard University and became the chaplain at Lorton Prison in Virginia 3 In 1989 he was involved in a public dispute with Ralph Abernathy over Abernathy s book And the Walls Came Tumbling Down Lee criticized Abernathy s book which supported rumors about King s extramarital sex life 9 10 Lee died of heart failure in 1991 11 See also editAndrew Young Timeline of the civil rights movementReferences edit Patterson Toby Graham A Right to Read Segregation and Civil Rights in Alabama s Public Libraries 1900 1965 University of Alabama Press 2002 ISBN 9780817311445 pp 75 76 Patterson Toby Graham A Right to Read Segregation and Civil Rights in Alabama s Public Libraries 1900 1965 University of Alabama Press 2002 ISBN 9780817311445 pp 70 71 a b c d Lee Bernard Scott 1935 1991 Martin Luther King Jr Research and Education Institute accessed 7 November 2012 Steve Fayer Henry Hampton Voices of Freedom An Oral History of the Civil Rights Movement from the 1950s Through the 1980s Random House Digital 1991 Taylor Branch Parting the Waters America in the King Years 1954 63 New York 9780671687427 Simon amp Schuster 1989 ISBN p 558 See America in the King Years Michael Blim Abernathy s civil rights group falters Money troubles persist Christian Science Monitor 29 August 1974 p 5B Judge orders seal on King wiretaps Deseret News UPI 1 February 1977 Terrence Smith Black Aids Discuss Concern Over Carter Record New York Times 16 May 1979 accessed via ProQuest Ralph Abernathy interview with Brian Lamb C SPAN 29 October 1989 James S Kunen Jane Sanderson Tom Nugent Elizabeth Velez A Bitter Battle Erupts Over the Last Hours of Martin Luther King People 32 18 30 October 1989 Obituary Rev Bernard Lee 55 Civil Rights Advocate The New York Times February 14 1991 Retrieved 29 October 2010 External links editPhotos of Lee at the Atlanta History Center Bernard Lee biography Stanford University Martin Luther King Jr Research amp Education Institute Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bernard Lee activist amp oldid 1193980148, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
