REV. DR. W. FRANKLYN RICHARDSON TO BE INDUCTED INTO THE 2013 CLASS OF THE NATIONAL BLACK COLLEGE HALL OF FAME FOR EXCEPTIONAL ACHIEVEMENT IN FAITH & THEOLOGY & FOR OUTSTANDING SUPPORT TO HIS COMMUNITY & HBCUs (HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES)—–
September 17, 2013 (New York, NY)—Rev. Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson, Senior Pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Mount Vernon, New York, and one of the country’s leading advocates for social justice, will be inducted into the 2013 class of the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame in recognition of his exceptional achievements in the field of Faith and Theology and for his outstanding support to his community and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). He was nominated for his prestigious award by his alma mater Virginia Union University where he holds an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity degree. The 28th Annual Hall of Fame Induction ceremony will be held on Friday, September 27th at the Hyatt Regency in Atlanta, Georgia, at 6:00 p.m. Dr. Richardson is honored to be inducted into the Alumni Hall of Fame and said: “I am truly honored by this recognition and enormously indebted to the legacy of the black college. My gratitude is inexpressible.”
Dr. Richardson’s tireless efforts to defend and promote justice, fairness, and equality for all people has been recognized nationally and internationally and he has made significant contributions to the global nonviolent movement for civil and human rights. A longtime community builder and organizer, Dr. Richardson has played a pivotal role in the grass root efforts of reestablishing a cultural bridge between community and education. He is singularly responsible for leveling the ground by fighting for equitable opportunities in public education in the Mount Vernon community and he has manned the front lines in the battle for just and affordable housing development. His steadfast efforts have resulted two Grace Church related Community Development Corporations that have constructed more than 100 million dollars in affordable housing to date.
As a distinguished theologian, Rev. Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson is an internationally sought after preacher, lecturer and facilitator, having preached on several continents. He is a national advocate for economic equity and his counsel and advice are widely solicited in several major corporate boardrooms throughout America.
A man of enormous compassion, intuitive reason, absolute commitment, and an incisive mind, Dr. Richardson demonstrates in his persona the union of passion and intellect. He has led the ministry at Grace Baptist Church since 1975 and under his leadership the congregation has grown to include more than 4000 members as well as a second church in Port St. Lucie, Florida.
Among other achievements, Dr. Richardson served as General Secretary for twelve years of the eight-million-member National Baptist Convention USA, Inc., which thrust him into the international arena of the World Council of Churches where he served on its prestigious Central Committee. The World Council represents more than 400 million Christians in 150 nations. He also served on the boards of the Congress of the National Black Churches, the National Urban League, and the Constituency for Africa. A life member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Dr. Richardson is also a member of the Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity. He is the Chairman of National Action Network, the organization founded by Rev. Al Sharpton in 1991.
