Earl Stallings was an American

Baptist minister Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compete ...

and

activist Activism (or Advocacy) consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make changes in society toward a perceived greater good. Forms of activism range fro ...

in the

Civil Rights Movement The civil rights movement was a nonviolent social and political movement and campaign from 1954 to 1968 in the United States to abolish legalized institutional Racial segregation in the United States, racial segregation, Racial discrimination ...

. In 1963, Rev. Earl Stallings was one of eight signers of the open letter "

A Call For Unity "A Call for Unity" was an open letter published in Birmingham, Alabama, on April 12, 1963, by eight local white clergymen in response to civil rights demonstrations taking place in the area at the time. In the letter, they took issue with events ...

," which precipitated a critical response from Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. in his "

Letter from Birmingham Jail The "Letter from Birmingham Jail", also known as the "Letter from Birmingham City Jail" and "The Negro Is Your Brother", is an open letter written on April 16, 1963, by Martin Luther King Jr. It says that people have a moral responsibility to b ...

." Despite this, Stallings was the only clergy whom King praised by name in his letter, given that Stallings had opened the doors of his church to black worshipers. This same action angered members of his white congregation. One of the blacks allowed in was the civil rights leader

Andrew Young Andrew Jackson Young Jr. (born March 12, 1932) is an American politician, diplomat, and activist. Beginning his career as a pastor, Young was an early leader in the civil rights movement, serving as executive director of the Southern Christian L ...

. As a result of his moderate stance, Stallings became a target of both conservative segregationists and liberal integrationists. Tension over the issue so divided the church that it eventually split over the issue in 1970, five years after Stallings' departure. When the church voted not to admit a Black woman and her daughter for membership, a large group walked out in protest and would later go on to form Baptist Church of the Covenant.

Education

Earl Stallings was born March 20, 1916, in

Durham, North Carolina Durham ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the county seat of Durham County, North Carolina, Durham County. Small portions of the city limits extend into Orange County, North Carolina, Orange County and Wake County, North Carol ...

. He dropped out of school at 16 to take care of his brothers and sisters by managing a fruit stand in Knoxville, Tennessee after his mother died. Stallings was forced into the workforce by The

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

, and returned to high school at age 21, graduating at 23. Upon graduation, he entered Carson-Newman where he majored in history and joined

Alpha Phi Omega Alpha Phi Omega (), commonly known as APO, but also A-Phi-O and A-Phi-Q, is a coeducational service fraternity. It is the largest collegiate fraternity in the United States, with chapters at over 350 campuses, an active membership of over 25,0 ...

. He earned a master of theology degree from

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary The Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary is a Baptist theological institute in Fort Worth, Texas. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. It was established in 1908 and is one of the largest seminaries in the world. It i ...

in Fort Worth. He was a quarter time student pastor of Buffalo Grove Baptist Church in

Jefferson City Jefferson City, informally Jeff City, is the capital of Missouri, United States. It had a population of 43,228 at the 2020 census, ranking as the 15th most populous city in the state. It is also the county seat of Cole County and the principa ...

in 1940. He was then a half time student pastor in 1947–51 at Dumplin Creek Baptist Church in Jefferson City.

Church life

He was a full-time pastor at First Baptist Church, Ocala Florida (1951-1962), and served as president of the Florida Baptist Convention for 1956–1957. He also oversaw the "Baptist Hour" radio program on behalf of the Southern Baptist Radio and Television Commission from 1956 to 1961. He was pastor of First Baptist Church, Birmingham, Alabama (1962–1965), and First Baptist Church, Marietta, Georgia (1965–1977). From 1977 to 1985, he worked under the Southern Baptist Convention's Home Mission Board in Sun City West, Arizona as Director of Christian Ministries in the Arizona Southern Baptist Convention.

Personal life

Stallings died when he was 89 in his retirement home in

Lakeland, Florida Lakeland is the most populous city in Polk County, Florida, part of the Tampa Bay Area, located along Interstate 4 east of Tampa. According to the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau release, the city had a population of 112,641. Lakeland is a principal c ...

, on February 23, 2006. He left behind a son and two grandchildren: A son named Jim Stallings; Grandson James Stallings; granddaughter Meredith Beeson Stallings; and several nephews including Carl Bowen and Bryant Stallings. Earl had a wife of 64 years, Ruth Langston McMahan Stallings, who died in April 2001.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stallings, Earl 1916 births 2006 deaths American civil rights activists People from Durham, North Carolina Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary alumni Activists from North Carolina Baptists from North Carolina 20th-century Baptist ministers from the United States