Honoring Rev. Dr. C.T. Vivian on would have been his 100th birthday
ATLANTA - Rev. Dr. C.T. Vivian would have celebrated his 100th birthday on July 31. Unfortunately, he passed away at the age of 95 in Atlanta.
Rev. Dr. C.T. Vivian (Cordy Tindell Vivian), born on July 30, 1924, in Boonville, Missouri, was a renowned civil rights leader and close associate of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He grew up in Illinois and attended Western Illinois University, where he was involved in his first non-violent direct action, a lunch counter sit-in in Peoria, Illinois, in 1947.
Vivian moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where he attended the American Baptist Theological Seminary. In Nashville, he became deeply involved in the burgeoning Civil Rights Movement, particularly through the Nashville Student Movement and the Freedom Rides in the early 1960s. His work in Nashville was marked by non-violent protests, sit-ins, and marches challenging racial segregation.
As a key member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), Vivian played a crucial role in organizing and participating in pivotal civil rights actions, including the Birmingham Campaign and the Selma to Montgomery marches. His fearless advocacy for voting rights led to confrontations with authorities, most famously with Sheriff Jim Clark in Selma, Alabama, in 1965, which were broadcast nationwide, highlighting the brutality faced by activists and galvanizing support for the Voting Rights Act.
In 1964, Vivian conceived of an initiative that would help the next generation capitalize on opportunities that the civil rights movement was fighting for.
Its central purpose was to prepare high school youth (initially in Alabama and later in Atlanta) for college by advancing their intellectual development while in high school. The program would become recognized as a model for providing impoverished and troubled youth with enrichment activities on college and university campuses and the concept was absorbed by President Lyndon B. Johnson as part of his "War on Poverty" campaign and was renamed Upward Bound. Emory University in Atlanta was one of the first universities to bring the program to its campus. In 2023, Emory University released "Into the Archives: Small Steps - C.T. Vivian, Upward Bound and the First for Educational Opportunity," featuring Upward Bound alumni Denice Morgan, who attended Booker T. Washington High School and served in the United States Air Force for 24 years.
Charles Harper, Denice Morgan, C.T. Vivian and Pellom McDaniels. Photo courtesy of Denice Morgan
In 2008, Vivian founded the C.T. Vivian Leadership Institute, Inc. to create a model leadership culture in Atlanta. The institute conceived, developed and implemented the "Yes, We Care" campaign, which mobilized the Atlanta community to donate money to Morris Brown College for "bridge funding" to be used to pay a massive water bill owed to the city.
Throughout his life, Vivian was known for his eloquence, strategic thinking, and unwavering commitment to non-violence. He continued to work for social justice and equality, founding several organizations to support underprivileged communities and promote leadership development.
In recognition of his lifelong dedication, Rev. Dr. C.T. Vivian received numerous awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013.
Vivian died from natural causes in Atlanta on July 17, 2020, which is the same day that his friend and fellow activist John Lewis also died in Atlanta. He was the first Black, non-elected man to lie in state at the Georgia State Capital.
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