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Rev. Dwight Montgomery, Memphis pastor and head of SCLC, dies

Yolanda Jones
Memphis Commercial Appeal
July 31, 2014 - Pastor Dwight Montgomery, president, Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Memphis Chapter, prays with Kellogg workers before a press conference at 1407 Union Ave. Workers filed EEOC claims against Kellogg for race-based discrimination in connection to a lockout.

Rev. Dwight Montgomery, head of the SCLC in Memphis and a pastor in the city, died Wednesday.

Montgomery, 67, was pastor of Annesdale Cherokee Missionary Baptist Church in South Memphis.

Montgomery also was elected the president of the Memphis chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 2004 and served as the chairman of the Education Committee for the Memphis Baptist Ministerial Association.

The Memphis SCLC chapter posted on its Facebook page Wednesday about Montgomery's passing.

"RIP, Dr. Dwight Ray Montgomery," the SCLC said in the post. 

Rev. LaSimba Gray, pastor of New Sardis Baptist Church, said he was saddened to hear of the death of his long-time friend and colleague.

"He leaves a big footprint in the city of Memphis in terms of redemptive ministry and advocacy for the less fortunate," Gray said. "It will be a void in the ministerial leadership, particularly in the prophetic ministry because that's what Dwight believed in and that is what he did."

Gray said he met Montgomery when he was a student at Lane College in Jackson, Tenn.

"I was one of his advisers and he was leading demonstrations and protests in that city," Gray recalled. "He pointed out the fact that there were no African-Americans working at city hall, very few African-Americans in the police and fire departments and clerks Downtown were void of African-Americans. He led that movement in the late '60s and early '70s and I knew then that he was a natural leader to do what he has been doing in Memphis for the last 40 years."

Gray said Montgomery modeled his ministry and activism after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

"If you talked to Dwight for 10 minutes he was going to quote something Dr. King said," Gray said. "He believed in Dr. King and embraced that ministry. Again, Dwight leaves a tremendous void in the prophetic ministry in Memphis."

State Sen. Lee Harris, D-Memphis, in a statement praised Montgomery for his dedication and work in the city.

“Rev. Montgomery leaves behind a lasting legacy and he will be sorely missed by this city. He empowered young people and imparted hope in times of need. We are all better for his example, and his memory will live on for generations to come," Harris said in a written statement.

Montgomery was a well-known activist in the city and recently took part in the protest to relocate the statue of Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest from Health Sciences Park.  He was one of more than 150 religious leaders who signed their name to a letter released Wednesday supporting the city's bid to remove the statue. 

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland posted on Twitter, "I was saddened to hear this morning of the passing of Rev. Dwight Montgomery. He was instrumental in my administration's efforts to award grants to our 1968 sanitation workers. And I appreciated his support as we work to move Confederate statues from our city. I will keep his family, friends and congregation lifted in my prayers during their time of grief."

Funeral arrangements have not been released.