Obituary: The Reverend Joan Brown Campbell, Social & Civil Rights Activist Who Led U.S. Church Councils, 93

 

The Rev. Campbell once divided the White congregation of her church by inviting the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to speak and then decades later - as a minister in King’s denomination - rose to lead an influential national alliance of churches. As general secretary of the National Council of Churches (NCC) - a group linking dozens of Christian denominations with over 40 million worshipers - Rev. Campbell endorsed priorities such as battling climate change and expanding health care that often spilled over into wider political debates.

From 1991 to 2000, she went on missions such as accompanying the Rev. Jesse Jackson to Serbia in 1999 to gain the release of three U.S. soldiers, captured on a patrol amid a NATO bombing campaign seeking to halt ethnic bloodshed during the breakup of Yugoslavia. She also was at the center of partisan and cultural shifts that strained the coalition of mainline Protestants, traditionally Black churches (such as the African Methodist Episcopal Church), and Orthodox traditions such as Greek and Assyrian. In response, Rev. Campbell formed a political lobbying group, the Interfaith Alliance. 

In 1965 at her church in the Cleveland suburb of Shaker Heights, she was juggling dual roles as a mother raising three children and as a local activist, her home became a hub for groups supporting the civil rights movement and opposing the Vietnam War. During a visit by King to Cleveland, he met briefly with Rev. Campbell and mentioned offhand that he had never been invited to speak at a mostly White church in the area. She suggested he come to the Heights Christian Church, where she was belonged to the congregation. Some church members felt honored to host King, but other members rejected him, claiming the presence of the civil rights leader was too politically charged and divisive. Bomb threats were made targeting Rev. Campbell’s home. Eventually, a compromise was reached for King to speak on the church steps. “There were at least 3,000 people there to hear him, and that would have never been true had it been inside the church,” Rev. Campbell said. 

King told the crowd: “Without brotherhood, we can’t survive.” On a nearby sidewalk, white-nationalist protesters marched against him. The showdown inspired Rev. Campbell to expand her activism, including working on the 1967 Cleveland mayoral campaign of Carl B. Stokes, who became the city’s first Black mayor.

She was ordained in 1980 by the Progressive National Baptist Convention, a denomination rooted in the civil rights movement whose members included King and Ralph Abernathy. Rev. Campbell’s ordination was later recognized by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the American Baptist Churches. She served as executive director of the U.S. office of the World Council of Churches, the umbrella group for national Christian church coalitions internationally. In 1986, she was the only woman among the clergy in the procession for Desmond Tutu when he became the Anglican Church archbishop in Cape Town. Rev. Campbell was elected in 1990 to lead the NCC, becoming the first ordained woman to head the group.

At a 1997 memorial service for the astronomer Carl Sagan, with whom Rev. Campbell had helped found the National Religious Partnership for the Environment, she recalled an exchange they had. “He would say to me, ‘You are so smart, why do you believe in God?’” she said. “And I’d say, ‘You are so smart, why don’t you believe in God?’” Her honors include the Interfaith Alliance Foundation’s Walter Cronkite Faith and Freedom Award in 2010 for promoting tolerance and public dialogue. Her book, Living into Hope: A Call to Spiritual Action for Such a Time as This was published in 2010 (Nashville, Tennessee: SkyLight Paths).

Rev. Campbell also served for 14 years as director of religion at the Chautauqua Institution, a retreat in western New York. In a 2012 sermon, alluding to her past activism, she urged the congregation to recognize their role in fighting for social justice. “I believe that it is in times of uncertainty,” she said, “when we question our thoughts and decisions, that God can enter our lives.”

Read the April 11, 2025 Washington Post obituary.

Read the April 10, 2025 New York Times obituary.

Presbyterians Join Push for 'Moral Budget' in Washington; Repairers of the Breach and Supporters want to Preserve Safety net for Children and Other Vulnerable Members of Society

 

The Presbyterian Office of Public Witness stood in solidarity with Repairers of the Breach recently as the latter held a prayer and protest rally in Washington, D.C. to decry proposed budget cuts that it says would be detrimental to women, children and other marginalized people. Supporters gathered outside the U.S. Supreme Court on April 2nd for the second “Moral Witness Wednesday” by Repairers of the Breach, a faith-based, anti-poverty organization trying to keep Congress from adopting a budget that it says would weaken the social safety net while benefitting the rich. 

In March, the advocacy group emphasized its concerns in a report “The High Moral Stakes of the Policy Battles Raging in Washington,” and the rally was accompanied by the release of a new appendix that says the U.S. president’s “allies in Congress are in the process of passing a budget that would take services away from women and children, tear immigrant families apart, and perpetuate war.”

“This budget is a betrayal of every sacred tradition that teaches us to care for the widow, to care for the orphan, to care for the stranger, to care for the poor,” said the Rev. Dr. Hannah Broome, director of religious affairs for Repairers of the Breach. “See, you don't need to be a Christian to hear the warning of the prophet Isaiah (10:1-2)  when he says, ‘Woe to those who make unjust laws.’ You only need a conscience.”

In his remarks, Barber said the cuts would hurt several vulnerable groups, including children, older people and LGBTQIA+ persons, and called for “a movement across America.” “Now is the time that we must do whatever it requires in our nonviolent traditions,” Barber said. “If we have to sit in, let’s sit in. If we have to march, let’s march. If we have to engage in nonviolent civil, direct action and disobedience, let's do it. Our future is worth it. We must do collective action together. We will not let this democracy fail on our watch.”

“The re-launch of Moral Wednesdays by the Poor People’s Campaign and Repairers of the Breach is one way people of faith can take a stand and move their prayers to be a prophetic witness in the public square,” Cosby said. Speakers at last week's rally included John Cavanagh of the Institute for Policy Studies, a partner on the report with Repairers of the Breach and the Economic Policy Institute. The rally was followed by a march to the Capitol building, where a prayer circle was formed. (See video here.)

“As people of faith, we must pray alongside impacted communities, and our prayers must not stay inside our sanctuaries,” Cosby said. “It is vital that they move to public action, calling for a budget that protects programs, people and the planet over profits.”

For more information about Moral Witness Wednesday, go here.

Read the April 7, 2025 Presbyterian News Service article.

(Photo courtesy of the PC(USA) Office of Public Witness.)

NCRC Statement: Vacating Settlement Of Flagrantly Racist Townstone Financial Conduct Is Disgraceful

In response to the Trump administration’s attempt to vacate the Townstone Financial settlement and return the $105,000 fine levied to resolve it, the National Community Reinvestment Coalition released the following statement from President and CEO Jesse Van Tol.

It is absurd to walk away from a positive settlement in a cut-and-dried case of openly racist practices from a mortgage lender. And it is disturbing and disgusting to see Director Vought pretend that the case was brought “with zero evidence.

When your CEO goes on his company radio show and slanders Black neighborhoods as “scary” “jungles” that are “packed [with] people from all over the world” who participate in “hoodlum weekends,” your company is being very clear: There are places they won’t lend, and the reason is that those places have lots of non-White people living in them.

We know a company that markets itself through such shockingly open racism is determined to discourage Black customers from even calling.

Townstone got what it wanted: Compared to other lenders serving the area, the company received far fewer applications from Black borrowers.

Pretending this was anything other than gutter racism is ugly.

And using the power of the American people’s government to also hand money back to the man who wielded his financial power in such disgraceful fashion is a stain on us all.

For more background on the Townstone case, see here.

For more coverage of the Trump administration’s handling of the settlement, see here.

Source: March 27, 2025 NCRC article.

NCRC Statement On Trump Administration Withdrawal Of 2023 Community Reinvestment Act Final Rule

 

In response to the Trump administration’s announcement that it intends to withdraw the 2023 Community Reinvestment Act final rule, the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) released the following statement from President and CEO Jesse Van Tol:

“We’re very disappointed to see the Trump administration rescind the CRA rule. The bipartisan 2023 CRA rule was reached after years of engagement and input from banks and advocates alike, with major compromises and concessions. The rule would have brought the law into the 21st century, closed major gaps that allow banks to avoid investing in underserved areas both rural and urban, and created greater investments in affordable housing, small business development and community services – all desperately needed in this time.

“CRA has been the cornerstone of the affordable housing and community development finance infrastructure, motivating trillions of dollars of investment over its lifespan. The Administration had the opportunity to embrace the new rule as a major win for working class people. Now the cynics within the industry who have been throwing a three-year tantrum over these modest modernization efforts will find out whether the regulatory chaos they’ve won is really a world they want to operate in.”

Read the March 28, 2025 NCRC release.

HUD Cuts Will Drastically Cut Government and Nonprofit Efforts to Reduce Housing Discrimination

The Trump administration’s cuts to fair housing funding have raised serious concerns about the ability to enforce civil rights laws and help people find affordable housing. It will make it harder for Americans to find safe and affordable places to live and may allow even more housing discrimination to go unchecked, according to current and former government employees, fair housing experts, and local organizations. Advocates say the overhaul will ultimately alienate, discourage, and hurt people seeking help.

Enforcement of the Fair Housing Act and other civil rights laws, which prohibit discrimination in public and private housing, is carried out by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), as well as state, local and nonprofit agencies that receive federal funding. Last year there were more than 34,000 fair housing complaints of all kinds, a record high for the third year in a row. But the enforcement power is rapidly being eroded and under increasing threat, according to fair housing federal employees. Cases dealing with alleged discrimination based on gender identity have stalled, with staffers afraid to keep working on them until they receive clear instructions on how to interpret terms such as “gender ideology,” referenced in an early executive order from the President.

People often call HUD hotlines to ask about their rights, register a complaint or get help in a crisis. But now they can only do so through an online form, with few exceptions for those with disabilities or who have tech or language barriers. Regional phone lines shut down in March, according to a HUD memo to fair housing staff. The changes were meant to “maximize efficiency and maintain responsiveness through staffing reductions,” the March 10th notice said. But staff members raised concerns that the moves make it harder for people to get help when they need it, including people facing eviction or families without a place to sleep.

More destructive changes are coming. The HUD office that enforces the 1968 Fair Housing Act is expected to be cut by more than 75%. Employees say that will further strain an understaffed office with a hefty case backlog. One employee said that while the Fair Housing Act requires investigations to be completed in 100 days, “we’re lucky if we can meet that goal for 30% of cases.”

“The level of cuts we’ve heard are on the table would effectively end enforcement of the Fair Housing Act in any meaningful sense,” said another HUD fair housing staffer. “The fear within the agency is that the administration’s goal is to gut some of the crowning achievements of the civil rights movement by simply ignoring the laws and refusing to spend money Congress has appropriated to enforce them.”

In late February, HUD and the U.S. DOGE Service abruptly canceled 78 fair housing grants to nonprofits, jeopardizing $30 million in congressionally authorized funds. Four organizations later filed a class-action lawsuit against HUD and DOGE, and in late March, a judge reinstated the funds with a temporary injunction. The Government Accountability Office - an independent watchdog based in the legislative branch - is also investigating the cuts to congressionally earmarked funds. Relief came only after the groups - many of which have small offices and depend on federal grants -faced the prospect of laying people off or closing. Private nonprofits processed 75% of complaints in 2024, and they say that being in communities makes their work to fight discrimination more effective. 

“This is evisceration,” said Gail Williams, executive director of Metro Fair Housing Services in Atlanta. “That’s exactly what it is. It’s pretty plain. There’s no cover to it.” When Williams got an email on Feb. 27 saying her organization’s $425,000 enforcement grant was canceled, she knew that would leave 34 pending investigations in limbo. The grant represents 53 percent of the organization’s annual budget. Without it, she could keep the 51-year-old organization open for only three more months. “Most fair housing centers right now are uncertain as to how we will continue,” she said.

Staffers working on fair lending, consumer protection, and other public interest issues at the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) were also put on administrative leave in March. Agency director Bill Pulte rolled out a string of new directives in recent days, including those paring tenant protections and ending programs that help borrowers lacking the traditional 20% cash down payment required to buy a new home.

In the backdrop, a national housing crisis has made it more difficult for people to find affordable places to live. "Record high housing costs are putting the squeeze on families in every part of this country," said former HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan, who heads Enterprise Community Partners. He said arbitrary cuts to staff and funding "will only serve to destabilize our housing system and drive up costs for both renters and owners." Many staffers and housing experts say the cuts will indeed make it more difficult for the agencies to carry out basic duties and that it will keep local groups from on-the-ground work. "The shelters are overwhelmed. There's not enough affordable housing," Zoe Ann Olson of the  Intermountain Fair Housing Council in Boise, Idaho, said. "We're just seeing an extraordinary amount of evictions, like so many that we're getting on a daily basis. It's so disheartening to lose this money."

There are also fears that the lack of guardrails brings broader economic risk. Fair lending experts noted that many of the mortgages that defaulted during the 2008 housing crisis were predatory and disproportionately affected people of color - risks that can be reduced with proper oversight. Minority borrowers are also more likely to be denied home loans and to pay higher interest rates.

Read the April 6, 2024 Washington Post article.

Read the February 14, 2025 NPR article on HUD cuts.

Baltimore Fair Housing Month Resource Fair 2025 is April 26th!

 

April is recognized as Fair Housing Month in the United States to commemorate the passage of the Fair Housing Act of 1968. This landmark law prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, and national origin. This month serves as a crucial reminder of the ongoing struggle for equal access to housing and the need to address systemic barriers that perpetuate segregation and inequality. It is a time to reflect on the progress made, educate communities about their rights, and reaffirm commitments to fostering inclusive, diverse neighborhoods where everyone has the opportunity to live free from discrimination. Join the Office of Equity and Civil Rights and the Community Relations Commission for our upcoming Baltimore City Fair Housing Month Resource Fair! Learn more about your rights as a renter/homeowner in Baltimore City and be connected with resources to help you thrive in your communities. Lunch will be served, and activities are available for folks to bring their kids!  Date: Saturday, April 26, 2025  Time: 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM  Location: Baltimore Unity Hall  Address: 1505 Eutaw Place, Baltimore, Maryland 21217, United States Register Here!

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Free Baltimore Workshop On Access and Functional Needs (AFN) in Emergency Preparedness is May 1st

Invitation: Access & Functional Needs Emergency Preparedness Workshop The Office of Equity and Civil Rights and the Mayor's Commission on Disabilities, in partnership with the Office of Emergency Management, is pleased to invite you to an upcoming workshop focused on Access and Functional Needs (AFN) in Emergency Preparedness. This workshop will bring together community leaders, emergency planners, disability advocates, mental health professionals, and service providers working with the AFN community. We will discuss strategies for effectively including individuals with access and functional needs in emergency preparedness planning. Workshop Details: 📅 Date:          Thursday, May 1, 2025 ⏰ Time:         4:00 PM – 7:00 PM (Doors open at 3:30 PM)  📍 Location:   The Arc Baltimore: Seton Day Employment Services, 6151 Metro Drive, Baltimore, Maryland 21215 🔗 Register here: Access & Functional Needs Emergency Preparedness Workshop – Eventbrite Workshop Objectives: Explore the four key methods of emergency preparedness: getting informed, building a kit, making a plan, and practicing your plan. Learn how to deliver emergency preparedness principles tailored to individuals with access and functional needs. Understand the various types of access and functional needs and disabilities, and how they compare to the six federally defined disability categories under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Identify common accessibility barriers individuals with disabilities face and discuss solutions to improve emergency preparedness and response plans. Accessibility & Accommodations: We are committed to hosting an inclusive and accessible event where all individuals can fully participate. ASL interpreters will be available. If you require accommodations or assistance with registration, please contact Michelle "Shelly" Smith at: 📧 Michelle.Smith@baltimorecity.gov 📞 410-396-6188. We encourage you to share this invitation with other relevant partners in your network. We look forward to your participation! Register Here!   7 E. Redwood Street Baltimore, MD 21202 Phone # 410-396-3141 Manage Preferences  |  Unsubscribe  |  Help