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Dr. Carlton Wadsworth Veazey
The Reverend Dr. Carlton Wadsworth Veazey was born on May 9, 1936 in Memphis Tennessee to Dolly C. and Mertie G.F. Veazey, the sixth child in the family. He is also the third gener...view moreThe Reverend Dr. Carlton Wadsworth Veazey was born on May 9, 1936 in Memphis Tennessee to Dolly C. and Mertie G.F. Veazey, the sixth child in the family. He is also the third generation in his family. His grandfather, Rev. George Veazey was born in slavery in 1860 and established his first church in 1890 in Arkabutla, Mississippi. He was educated in the public schools of Memphis and graduated in 1954 from the Booker T. Washington High School with honors and president of the class of 440 graduates representing the largest class in the history of the school up until that time. He later entered the Arkansas A.M. and N. College where he received scholarships in both instrumental music (trombone) and vocals, becoming a member of the outstanding Arkansas State Concert Choir directed by the renowned Dr. Ariel Lovelace. During his matriculation at Arkansas State, he became a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and president of the John B. Watson Memorial Sunday School named after the first president of Arkansas State.
After receiving his B. S. Degree in Sociology, he received a full scholarship from the Howard University School of Religion in Washington, D.C. During his milder year, he interned at the historic Zion Baptist Church, one of the oldest Baptist churches in the District of Columbia. The church was founded in 1864 by seven freedmen and was established in southwest Washington where it remained for over ninety years. The Reverend Dr. A. Joseph Edwards was serving as pastor of Zion when the unfair and racist decision was made by the city to declare eminent domain requiring many churches and their memberships to be removed from southwest where they had built a very powerful and cohesive community. The city’s decision led Zion to rebuild in northwest Washington rather than purchase a "white church" which had become available due to the "white flight" of white churches resulting from the 1954 Supreme Court decision that allowed Negroes to attend formerly all-white public schools.
The Phyllis Wheatley YWCA became Zion’s church home for seven years and it was here that Dr. Veazey met Dr. Edwards in 1959 as an intern to fulfill the requirements for his Bachelor of Divinity degree. Rev. Edwards was one of the most pivotal persons in his internship at Zion which was definitely providential as many of the decisions were leading to this church. As assistant to Rev. Edwards, he was assigned to assist the superintendent of Sunday school, Miss Keturah Barnes who was definitely an important and pivotal person in his life as he entered another phase of his spiritual development. Miss Barnes introduced him to many of the leaders of the church along with many young leaders in Zion.
In September 1959, Dr. Edwards began plans for the ground breaking for the new church located at 4850 Blagden Avenue, N.W. that was to take place after the morning communion service held on the fourth Sunday in September. Dr. Veazey had also been appointed by Dr. Evans Crawford, dean of the Andrew Rankin Chapel, to serve as his student assistant. His responsibility to the dean was to take the guest speakers to breakfast and afterward to the chapel where he would prepare robes for both the dean and the guest speakers. This still allowed him time to fulfill his internship on Sunday which was to teach a teenage Sunday school class and asset the pastor at the eleven o'clock services.
On the fourth Sunday in September at approximately nine o'clock, Rev. Edwards stopped at the People's Drug Store to get an antacid because of his heart condition. The clerk in the store reported that before he could take the pill he fell and after the EMTs arrival, was pronounced deceased at the store. Dr. Veazey was sent by Dr. Crawford to the YWCA to provide spiritual support and subsequently became interim minister. This eventually led to him becoming pastor which was totally unexpected by him.
Dr. Veazey pastored Zion for thirty three years that included continuing to follow Rev. Edwards in building the new edifice on Blagden Avenue. This was truly a challenge at the age of twenty three. Dean Crawford, his mentor and friend, guided him through those years which ended with the erection of the church on Blagden, the first historic church built in many years. After a very effective ministry for thirty three years, dissent in the church arose and after a church meeting in August 1992, he was dismissed by a contested vote of which he would not allow a recount. In 1994, Dr. Veazey founded and pastored Fellowship Baptist Church. Seventeen years after leaving Zion he was invited back to preach which he accepted along with church members at Fellowship.
During his career Dr. Veazey received many honors and awards including: appointment to the D.C. City Council by president Richard M. Nixon in 1960-1964; selection as President of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC) in 1996-2011; the Gloria Steinim award by the Ms. Foundation; the Voters for Choice award by Gloria Steinim Foundation; being the first man honored by Women's Enews for his work as president of RCRC; and a Doctorate of Humane Letters from the Meadville Lombard Theological Seminary associated with the University of Chicago.view less