Lightfoot solomon michaux november 7, 1885 october 20, 1968 was an africanamerican. Our campaigns candidate elder solomon lightfoot michaux. New research shows how elder michaux, the first minister with a weekly television show, worked with the f. Elder lightfoot solomon michaux congregation happy am i youtube. Before coming to new york he worked as a pea picker, window washer and deacon in the philadelphia, church of his brother, lightfoot solomon. Fbi partnered with african american minister elder lightfoot solomon michaux to discredit and neutralize reverend martin luther king jr. Solomon lightfoot michaux18841968evangelistsolomon lightfoot michaux. The extraordinary life and times of elder lightfoot solomon michaux. The preacher launched a radio show, the radio church of god, in 1929 to national acclaim.
Elder lightfoot solomon michaux was born on november 7, 1884, to john and may blanche michaux in newport news, virginia. During his youth he worked in the family seafood business, peddling fish to soldiers on the wharves. Professor smith is currently working on her new book project tentatively titled, the happy. Trail church of god was started in 1928 by evangelist elder lightfoot solomon michaux 1885 1968 then located in a storefront across from the griffith stadium michaux and his church appealed to many of the poor and working class residents in the surrounding neighborhoods free download freedom under god pdf. Professor suzanne smith was recently awarded a research fellowship from the national endowment for the humanities to support work on her new book project, the happy am i preacher. Active in a church of christ holiness congregation, he founded his own church in 1917 that later developed into what is now known as the gospel spreading church. Michaux yesterday as a bookseller who did as much as anyone in the last four decades to. Newport news preacher redefined the black church daily press. She is currently working on her third book, tentatively titled the happy am i preacher. Elder lightfoot solomon michaux a member of the church of god at williamsburg, va, howard w. Elder michaux was a religious tv show on the dumont television network, hosted by evangelist lightfoot solomon michaux 18851969. The elder started out as a fisherman, but went on to fish. Through gods providence and grace, he raised up elder lightfoot solomon michaux and his wife mary eliza to be the founders of our church organization in 1919. Through a foia request, martin uncovered documents showing the fbi worked with the african american televangelist elder lightfoot solomon michaux to discredit the rev.
When lightfoot solomon michaux pitched his first revival tent at the corner of 19th and jefferson in 1919, hed already made his mark selling fish and groceries. Elder lightfoot solomon michaux congregation happy am i youtube duration. In 1936, elder lightfoot solomon michaux, an africanamerican radio evangelist with over 25 million listeners across america in 1934, bought 500 acres of land located along the james river with. Search the history of over 424 billion web pages on the internet. My book argues that elder lightfoot solomon michaux is critical to our. Elder lightfoot solomon michaux was a pioneering evangelist. The global mission of elder lightfoot solomon michauxs radio church of. Much public opinion of solomon lightfoot michaux was focused on his charismatic preaching, his mass annual baptizing, and his colorful radio ministry, including his cross. By john eligonapril 2, 2018 elder lightfoot solomon michaux was a pioneering evangelist. Ashcrafteason, lillian, elder lightfoot solomon michaux. The cemetery reached capacity in the 2000s, hence doesnt make money, leading to the absentee owners lack of interest in maintaining it. Michaux was born in newport news, virginia, 1895although birth year and day is uncertainthe son of henry michaux and blanche pollard. New documents reveal how the fbi deployed a televangelist.
One songwriter composed, through many dangers, toils and snares we have already come. Young lightfoot attended john marshall elementary school, where his formal education probably ended at an early age. The securityscreened documents reveal how the bureau solicited and received sacred assistance in their crusade to discredit martin luther king, jr. Lewis michaux is eulogized in harlem as a bookseller who. In the history of african american religion in the 1930s, michaux tends. Thanks for posting this information since my discovery of the grave sites of elder michaux and his wife mary during the summer of 2009, i. The church of god of williamsburg would like to acknowledge our past founder, elder lightfoot solomon michaux. Solomon lightfoot michaux was an evangelist and founder of the church of god.
The elder, the nations first minister black or white to have his own weekly television show. Authors, pohticans, church officials and a street speaker eulogized lewis h. The church of god at williamsburg was established in 1928 and rebirthed in 1998. She specializes in african american history with a particular interest in. Elder lightfoot solomon michaux, the happy am i preacher. Solomon michaux, also known as elder lightfoot solomon michaux 1885 1969, was a charismatic evangelist, real estate developer, entrepreneur, and founder of the church of god. Elder lightfoot solomon michaux 18841968 was the propitious one who, by his very religious and personal complexity, personified the spirit of the era and articulated needs and hopes of displaced ones who still expressed confidence in the american way. Elder lightfoot solomon michaux newport news, virginia, november 7, 1884 washington, d. Elder lighfoot solomon michauxchurch of god at williamsburg, va, howard w. Overview of weve come a long, long way, 1944, directed by jack goldberg, with at turner classic movies. Solomon lightfoot michaux was born on october 7, 1883 in newport news, virginia, usa. Elder michaux established our first church in newport news, va on november 22, 1919. Michaux invoked the history of african enslavement, the historical significance of.
The fbis efforts to destroy kings reputation are well known, but less known is how the bureau colluded with elder lightfoot solomon michaux, then a widely successful black radio preacher and televangelist, in their campaign against king. In this project, smith will analyze the career of elder michaux, who was the most successful african american radio. A preacher elder michaux describes his view of paradise. History welcome to pleasant shade cemetery restoration. Lightfoot solomon michaux 18841968 was an african american businessman and evangelist from virginia. Solomon lightfoot michaux18841968evangelistsolomon lightfoot michaux was an evangelist and founder of the church of god. Elder lightfoot solomon michaux congregation happy am i. In 1936, elder lightfoot solomon michaux, an africanamerican radio evangelist with over 25 million listeners across america in 1934, bought 500 acres of land located along the james river with the purpose of creating the national memorial to the progress of the colored race in america. About two decades later, he became the first minister with a weekly television show. Black america viewed this protest as largely staged and saw michaux as a puppet. The gravestone for elder solomon lightfoot michaux and his wife saint mary eliza pauline michaux is the most ornate in the cemetery, but is still fairly low. He died on october 20, 1968 in washington, district of columbia, usa. In 2017, the national archives released a new trove of fbi files in response to a freedom of information act request i made. In the 1930s, he realized the potential of using the media in spreading the gospel around the world.
How this popular black evangelist colluded with fbi to destroy mlk. The last straw was michaux s protest against the southern christian leadership conference in 1965. Martin sees the researchs contemporary implications for the trump white house and evangelicals. The show was 30 minutes long, originated as a local program on dumont station wttg in washington, d. The church of god gospel spreading association was founded in 1919 by elder lightfoot solomon and sister mary eliza pauline michaux. Elder lightfoot solomon michaux is a neglected modernday african american religious leader, yet he ranks with father divine, sweet daddy grace, mother horn, and prophet jones as one of the leading charismatic black figures of the twentieth century. The city all christians seek by elder lightfoot solomon michaux on amazon music. According to the book the forgotten network by david weinstein temple university press, 2004, the. History of knowledge and scholarship, history of the book, history of medicine and the body, history of education, history of gender and sexuality, history of manhood and masculinity.
He was an early pioneer in radio and television evangelism and the first african american preacher to fully capitalize on the rise of mass media in modern america. Washington, dc owes much of its history to solomon michaux. How this popular black evangelist colluded with fbi to. Book depository books with free delivery worldwide. Bunk history what many remember solomon lightfoot michaux for was his captivating sermons, his powerful radio ministry, as well as, his activist. Michaux, elder november 7, 1884october 2, 1968 the religious leader and radio evangelist elder lightfoot solomon michaux was born in newport news, virginia, one of thirteen children. Elder michaux was known as the happy am i preacher, but he was also a businessman. Elder lightfoot solomon michaux conducting a service in 1948. The baltimore conference was protested by more than 100 church of gd members. It was there he learned, as he would later say, the power of persuasion.
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