Calvin Butts
About
Rev. Calvin Butts is Pastor of the nationally renowned Abyssinian Baptist Church in the City of New York, and President of the State University of New York (SUNY) College at Old Westbury. Dr. Butts’ sincere commitment to enhancing the kingdom of God on earth is evidenced in a loyal attention to the daily activities and services of the congregation, as well as the pervasive impact of the church on community development initiatives including homelessness, senior citizen and youth empowerment, cultural awareness and ecumenical outreach.
Under Dr. Butts’ leadership, Abyssinian Baptist Church is committed to the expansion and maintenance of its Christian mission to win more souls for Christ through evangelism, pastoral care, Christian education, social service delivery, and community development. Toward that end, in 1989 Rev. Butts was one of the founders, and is the current Chairman of the Abyssinian Development Corporation, a comprehensive, community-based, not-for-profit organization responsible for over $600 million in housing and commercial development in Harlem. He was also instrumental in establishing the Thurgood Marshall Academy for Learning and Social Change—a public, state-of-the-art, intermediate and high school in Harlem—and he is the visionary behind the Thurgood Marshall Academy Lower School, which opened in September 2005.
Dr. Butts spent a few years in the South, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA. He returned to New York and earned a Master of Divinity in Church History from Union Theological Seminary, and a Doctorate of Ministry in Church and Public Policy from Drew University in Madison, NJ. The Reverend was conferred with honorary degrees from Morehouse; The City College of New York; Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, AL; Claflin College of Orangeburg, SC; Dillard University, New Orleans, LA; Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA; and Trinity College, Hartford, CT.
Rev. Butts was an Urban Affairs instructor, and served as an Adjunct Professor in the African Studies Department at New York‘s City College. He also taught Black Church History at Fordham University, and continues to lecture and speak at colleges, universities and various organizations throughout the United States and abroad.
In addition to his professional and religious avocations, Dr. Butts is a member of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA), as well as a Board member of New Visions for Public Schools. He also served as Chairman of the National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS (NBLCA), was a founding member of the organization’s Board of Commissioners and was a member of the Board of Trustees of American Baptist College in Nashville, TN.
Previously, Rev. Butts also served as President of Africare, an organization dedicated to improving the quality of life in rural Africa, as well as President of the Council of Churches of the City of New York. He served as Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors of United Way of New York City, and Chairman of the Board of the Harlem YMCA.
Throughout his tenure at Abyssinian, Dr. Butts has spearheaded numerous boycotts against institutions that practice racist policies and employment discrimination. He has led campaigns to eliminate negative billboard advertising in Central Harlem and other New York City communities, and to expose rap music that includes violent and negative lyrics targeted at women. Rev. Butts has spoken out against racial profiling and police brutality, built coalitions to foster economic development and job growth and mobilized support for the plight of Christian minorities being persecuted abroad. Dr. Butts was also instrumental in establishing a church-administered legal defense fund, which is used to assist members of the Abyssinian congregation and the local community in covering legal expenses.
Rev. Butts is the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including the United Negro College Fund’s (UNCF) Shirley Chisholm Community Service Award; Man of the Year Award from Morehouse College Alumni Association; Morehouse College Candle Award; induction into the Martin Luther King Jr. Board of Preachers (Morehouse College); the William M. Moss Distinguished Brotherhood Award; and the Louise Fisher Morris Humanitarian Award. He is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Prince Hall Masons (having received the 33rd final degree in Masonry), and was recognized as a Living Treasure by the New York City Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Dr. Butts is often invited to preach in distinguished pulpits throughout New York, nationally, and internationally. He has traveled to Africa, China, Cuba, Europe, the Middle East, Netherlands, South America and throughout the Caribbean.[1]
Promoting Warnock's book
Speaking at Warnock's church
Raphael Warnock Mar 19, 2011.
The Rev. Calvin O. Butts III of New York's The Abyssinian Baptist Church will be the speaker at Ebenezer Baptist Church.
Praise for Ralph Warnock
A September, 2001 article from the Baltimore Sun Raphael Warnock addressed Raphael Warnock's new position as pastor of Douglas Memorial Community Church in West Baltimore, as well as his participation "in a daylong symposium: "The Black Church's Response to the HIV/AIDS Epidemic."[2]
From the article:
- The Rev. Calvin Butts, pastor of Abyssinian, said he wasn't surprised Warnock was hired.
- "He's one of the brightest and most intelligent and academically prepared young clergymen in the country," Butts said. "He got along excellently with the church members of all ages. He's a forceful leader, very serious about the issues that impact especially the African-American community. He's one of the more thoughtful preachers of his generation."
Cuban agreement
February 2018, before an audience of higher education officials from New York and Cuba, State University of New York at Old Westbury President Calvin Butts, participated in a ceremony recently to sign a memorandum of understanding between Old Westbury and the Universidad de Matanzas in Cuba at the historic Hotel Palacio in Havana, Cuba.
“Our world continues to grow smaller every day, through the development of technology, communication, business and culture,” said Butts. “To truly compete in the global community and marketplace, our students must learn of, and be exposed to, the history, culture and practices of nations around the world. I am proud to have Universidad de Matanzas as our partner as we seek to continue growing the varied international influences that impact our campus.”
The agreement between SUNY Old Westbury and Universidad de Matanzas provides a framework for the ongoing development of academic collaborations and study abroad programs in areas of teacher training, science research, community service, language and culture.
Faculty from both countries will also have the opportunity to team teach utilizing online platforms and share research materials.
The Matanzas memorandum of understanding is the latest signed by SUNY Old Westbury, which also currently has standing agreements with institutions in Austria, Belgium, China, England, France, Germany, Iran, Mexico, Norway, South Korea and Spain
The New York delegation to Cuba was led by SUNY Board Chairman Carl McCall. The group attended a week-long international education conference sponsored by the Ministry of Education. University delegates in this conference from over 60 countries are seeking new academic collaborations with Cuban universities.[3]
Praising Castro
In October 1995, Rev. Butts honored Cuban dictator Fidel Castro with a huge, standing-room-only ceremony at the Abyssinian Baptist Church. “It is in our tradition to welcome all who are visionaries, revolutionaries and who seek the liberation of all people,” the pastor declared. Five years later, Butts and his church again held a rousing tribute to Castro, who was greeted with a ten-minute standing ovation and thunderous chants of: “Fidel! Fidel! Viva Fidel!” Butts, for his part, said: “God Bless you, Fidel.”
Rev. Calvin Butts, introduced Castro as "one of the great leaders in the world with us today."[4]
Malcolm X Commemoration
February 21, 1990
Malcolm X Commemoration. The service was held at the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, in New York City.
- Speakers were Calvin Butts Pastor Abyssinian Baptist Church (New York, NY),
- Benjamin Chavis, Jr. Minister United Church of Christ
- Deborah Robinson Representative National Malcolm X Commemoration Commission.
- Percy Sutton President Borough of Manhattan, NY
- Albert Vann State Representative New York, NY
- Siraj Wahhaj Imam Brooklyn, NY->Masjd At-Taqwa[5]
Dream of Equality awardee
Calvin Butts is a past recipient of Asian Americans for Equality's annual Dream of Equality award.[6]
Cuban church visit
June 22-28 1984, at the Methodist Church 23rd and K Streets a "Theological Seminar: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Memoriam" was held the Valedo District of Havana, Cuba.
Granma, the Cuban Communist Party newspaper reported that the organizers were the Ecumenical Council of Cuba, the Baptist Worker-Student Coordination of Cuba, and the Caribbean Council of Churches.
The Black Theology Project was listed as a US sponsor, and the Soviet controlled Christian Peace Conference was also represented.
The appearance of US Presidential candidate Jesse Jackson, with Cuban president Fidel Castro, "was the highlight of a King memorial service attended by some 300 representatives of US, Caribbean and Cuban churches.
Jackson was introduced by Benjamin Chavis.
Other attendees included George C.L. Cummings, instructor in Theology of the Chicago Theological Seminary, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, pastor UCC Trinity Church Chicago, Tyrone Fitts, National Council of Churches Racial Justice program, Thelma C. Adair, executive director Church Women United, William Babley, director Racial Union Program Methodist Church, Esmerelda Brown Methodist Church, Calvin Butts Abyssinian Baptist Church, James Cone Union Theological Seminary, Howard Dodson chairman Black Theology Project, Jualynne Dodson dean Union Theological Seminary, Noel Eskind Emory University, Robert Franklin, professor of Ethics University of Chicago, Dwight Hopkins, vice chairman Black Theology Project, president Union Theological Seminary student association, Carolyn Knight, assistant pastor Canaan Baptist Church New York, Mark Ridley-Thomas, executive director Southern Christian Leadership Conference - West, Los Angeles, Gayraud Wilmore, dean Interdenominational Theological Seminary New York.[7]
Art Against Apartheid
John O. Killens Book Party December 15 1984?
With Rev. Calvin Butts, Gil Noble, Abbey Lincoln, Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis.
Blacks and Jews
When Ed Koch lied about Basil Paterson, first in interviews, and then, more maliciously, in his book, some Jews did speak up, as best they could, including Rabbi Balfour Brickner, Haskell Lazerre of the American Jewish Committee, union leaders Jack Sheinkman and Victor Gotbaum, Sol Stern, Victor Kovner, and Letty Pogrebin.
When Jesse Jackson lied, and then admitted his bigoted “Hymie/Hymietown” slur against Jews, some black leaders did speak up, as best they could, including Basil Paterson, the Amsterdam News, Julian Bond, Reverend Calvin Butts, columnist William Raspberry, Denny Farrell, David Dinkins, Carl McCall, and Al Vann.[8]
Rioter
From a 2005 interview with History Makers:
HM "And you know, at the time you went to Morehouse [College, Atlanta, Georgia], it was at that the height of the Civil Rights Movement. Did you become involved in civil rights activities?"
CB "Absolutely. A number of things: we organized. One of our most vigorous organizing activities was around Horace Tate when he was running for mayor of Atlanta. But you know, I worked with [HM] Bernice [Johnson] Reagon, who was in "Sweet Honey and the Rock." She used to have gatherings down at the Magnolia Ballroom in Vine City. And I remember playing the role of the Smoke King. I am the Smoke King. I am black. (Laughter) It was great, [W.E.B.] DuBois. And we talked a lot about--we had the Soul Roots Festival. And you know, I remember Stokely Carmichael coming through, H. Rap Brown, Cleve[land] Sellers. I remember going down to South Carolina State [University, Orangeburg, South Carolina] after the [Orange] massacre, so very much so. But of course, '67 [1967]--[Reverend Dr. Martin Luther] King [Jr.] was dead in April of '68 [1968], I remember rioting."
HM "What happened, specifically?"
CB "Well, we were watching "Shane" in Sale Chapel. And they turned off the movie, which almost started a riot 'cause it was right at the best part of "Shane," "Shane." Say what? And the movie went (unclear). They had already announced that Martin King had been shot, so that had sort of sent a reverberation. But then they put the movie back on, so we said, well. And then they announced that he was dead. The movie went off, and we went off. I remember going across to Canterbury House and meeting with some fellows that I had been working within an organization called PRIDE, People Ready In Defense of Ebony. Earlier PRIDE had gone to the infirmary there. Dr. [James B.?] Ellison had said you know, what would happen if we had some gunshot wounds. And I said get out of here. We guys--(unclear)--revolutionaries. But now it was serious business.
We, we dug up all of our preplans and we went to another location and made a bunch of Molotov cocktails. We bought the gasoline, filled up the, the bottles and stuff, the rags, and then we put them in bags. And then we went out that evening, and we burned several stores to the ground. We firebombed a local church. The fire caught in the basement. They got to it before it raged throughout the church. The church is still there. We terrorized cars with whites in them. And we were on a good roll. I had about, I started out with about seven of these Molotov cocktails, and I had about two left. And at that time, there was a friend of mine and I, and we were walking across this open field. I think the Morehouse School of Medicine may be sitting there now or just across the street from them. It was right in that area. And I remember as we were walking, we heard this whir, and we looked around and it was an armored car, like a, an Atlanta police, like a half-track truck or something. And I tell this story, I said the only thing I can see was a guy sitting on top with a neck that was very red, and he had a shotgun in his hand. And the moonlight reflected off the shotgun, so you could see this long silver barrel and this guy with a red neck holding this gun, and this half-track truck, and this big light flashing. I guess they were looking for us. And I remember telling the audience, I looked down at one of these Molotov cocktails, and I looked up at this half-track truck and this guy with this big shotgun and his very red neck. And all of a sudden I understood that non, that violence was not the way (laughter); nonviolence was the way."[9]