While still serving a decades-long prison sentence, the Rev. Dr. Benjamin Chavis received permission to deliver a sermon at Duke Chapel for a 1979 service memorializing the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. An assistant of Dr. King’s in the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. Chavis would eventually be pardoned for his alleged crimes and go on to serve as the executive director of the NAACP, among many other leadership positions. Named last year as the inaugural Environmental Justice and Racial Equity Fellow at Duke University, Dr. Chavis reflects on his historic sermon at Duke Chapel and the ongoing struggle to realize the dream of Dr. King.
TRANSCRIPT
James Todd:
Welcome to Sounds of Faith, a podcast exploring traditions of faith, sacred music and spoken word, here at Duke University Chapel.
The Rev. Dr. Benjamin Chavis:
I want to thank God for enabling me to stand before you as we worship and praise God together in this historic tribute to the life, to the work, the ministry, the sacrifice, and dream of Martin Luther King Jr.
James Todd:
The Reverend Dr. Benjamin Chavis delivered those words in Duke Chapel in 1979, 11 years to the day after the assassination of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. At the time, Dr. Chavis was imprisoned in Hillsborough, North Carolina, for an alleged crime for which he was later pardoned. He was pursuing his master of divinity at Duke while in prison when he preached at this special service honoring Dr. King.
The Rev. Dr. Benjamin Chavis:
Although I know the hour is kind of late, but we are going to spend a few minutes, a few moments to serve the Lord.
James Todd:
An assistant of Dr. King's in the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. Chavis would go on to serve as the executive director and CEO of the NAACP, the CEO and co-chairman of the Hip Hop Summit Action Network, and the CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association. He's also the inaugural Environmental Justice and Racial Equity Fellow here at Duke University. The Reverend Dr. Benjamin Chavis is here with us to look back at his 1979 Duke Chapel sermon preached as a prisoner, and the struggled to realize the dream of Martin Luther King Jr. I'm James Todd, communications manager at Duke Chapel. So Dr. Chavis, thank you so much for taking time to be here and look back at this important archival sermon.
The Rev. Dr. Benjamin Chavis:
Well, thank you, James. It's good to be back at Duke and certainly to be back at Duke Chapel. It's been some time since that 1979 sermon, but I'm always glad to reflect, particularly as the nation continues to bear witness to the legacy in the dream of Martin Luther King Jr. I was so fortunate as a teenager to work with Dr. King as a youth coordinator for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference here in North Carolina, so I'm pleased to have this discussion with you.
James Todd:
So Dr. Chavis, we've heard the first words from the sermon, but can you set the scene? What was it that led up to those words?
The Rev. Dr. Benjamin Chavis:
Well, thank you very much. First of all, I'm very grateful to Duke Chapel for giving me the invitation back in 1979 to preach, not only preach from prison, but to lead the prison to preach at Duke Chapel. It's quite an honor. And of course, the prison officials were very nervous about allowing me to give a public sermon at an auspicious place like Duke University.
James Todd:
So were you actually transported from the prison to campus and then walked into the chapel?
The Rev. Dr. Benjamin Chavis:
Right. On a daily basis, Monday through Friday, I was brought to Duke campus by prison authorities in a prison van, let out in front of Duke Chapel.
James Todd:
To go to class?
The Rev. Dr. Benjamin Chavis:
To go to class at divinity school as a master of divinity student. But on this occasion, they had to bring me back in time for the service, which was in the evening, and I had to get extended permission to be out of prison after 8:00 PM. And of course, as soon as
