Claude William Black Jr. was a Baptist minister and political figure. He was known throughout the South as an activist in the Civil Rights Movement. Claude Black led and organized marches throughout the State of Texas. He was associated with other prominent Civil Rights leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Thurgood Marshall, James Farmer and Ella Baker. Black supported the efforts of San Antonio branch of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), after a massive demonstration against police brutality in downtown San Antonio and an armed attack on the SNCC office. Black founded several community groups as well as San Antonio’s first black credit union. He allowed use of the church Mt. Zion First Baptist Church, where he was the pastor, for meetings of the San Antonio Committee to Free Angela Davis, SNCC-Panther meetings, and allowed members of the SNCC-Panthers opportunities to raise funds at the church on Sunday. In 2009, in Washington, DC, during "Inauguration Week", an event which honored America's first black President, Barack Obama, the MLK Realizing the Dream Foundation honored Rev. Black.
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Church Affiliation:St. Katherines Episcopal Church
Role in the Movement:Claude William Black Jr. was a Baptist minister and political figure.
Birth Place:San Antonio, TX
Born Date:November 28, 1916
Deceased Date:March 13, 2009
Place Lived as Adult:San Antonio, TX
Church Location:San Antonio, TX