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On May 12, 2006, at the age of 61, Israel L. Gaither
, salvationarmy.org the first African American to serve in that capacity. Gaither was selected for the position by General
On May 12, 2006, at the age of 61, Commissioner
A commissioner (commonly abbreviated as Comm'r) is, in principle, a member of a commission or an individual who has been given a commission (official charge or authority to do something).
In practice, the title of commissioner has evolved to in ...
Israel L. Gaither was formally installed as the National Commander of The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army (TSA) is a Protestant church and an international charitable organisation headquartered in London, England. The organisation reports a worldwide membership of over 1.7million, comprising soldiers, officers and adherents col ...
in the United States,, salvationarmy.org the first African American to serve in that capacity. Gaither was selected for the position by General
Shaw Clifton
Shaw Clifton (born 21 September 1945) is a former General of The Salvation Army. He succeeded John Larsson as the 18th General on 2 April 2006.
Career
Shaw Clifton was born on 21 September 1945 in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Clifton was commis ...
.
Eva D. Gaither, his wife, became President of the Salvation Army's Women's Ministries the same day, with executive responsibility for the advancement of women in developed and developing sectors of the world. She had been World Secretary for Women’s Ministries in London since November 2002.
Prior to becoming Commander in the United States, Gaither was Chief of the Staff, the second-ranking officer at Salvation Army world headquarters in London. He had held that office since November 2002. He had also been the first Black divisional commander in the United States, with responsibility for southern New England and western Pennsylvania, and the first Black territorial commander, responsible for the Eastern states. He had been commander of the Southern Africa territory as well.
Biographical details
Gaither was raised a Baptist preacher's son inNew Castle, Pennsylvania
New Castle is a city in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Lawrence County. It is northwest of Pittsburgh, and near the Pennsylvania–Ohio border, just southeast of Youngstown, Ohio. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, ...
. He was the only son among five children born to the Rev. Israel L. Gaither, Sr. and Lillian Gaither. He took Salvation Army officer training
A military academy or service academy is an educational institution which prepares candidates for service in the officer corps. It normally provides education in a military environment, the exact definition depending on the country concerned. ...
in New York, and has led congregations in Pennsylvania and New York.
Eva D. Gaither was born Eva Shue in Sidney, Ohio, one of five children born to Richard and Merle Shue, and the fifth generation of her family to become a Salvationist
The Salvation Army (TSA) is a Protestant church and an international charitable organisation headquartered in London, England. The organisation reports a worldwide membership of over 1.7million, comprising soldiers, officers and adherents co ...
.
Gaither and Shue married in 1967, breaking ground as the first interracial marriage between Salvation Army officers in the United States. Eva Gaither is white, and in 1967, interracial marriage was still illegal in many states. They have two children, Michele Gaither Sparks and Mark Gaither, and four grandchildren, Isaiah, Matthew, Virginia and Andrew.
Gaither is the subject of a biography by Henry Gariepy Colonel Henry Gariepy (1930–2010) was a Salvation Army officer and the former national editor in chief and literary secretary for The Salvation Army which included The War Cry. He retired in 1995. He held many other positions within the Army such ...
which was released in late 2006. Gaither was tributed on the floor of the United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...
by George representative Sanford Bishop
Sanford Dixon Bishop Jr. (born February 4, 1947) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the U.S. representative for , serving since 1993. He became the dean of Georgia's congressional delegation after the death of John Lewis. A member o ...
.
The Gaithers were officially retired from active service as Salvation Army Officers on October 31, 2010.
See also
*The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army (TSA) is a Protestant church and an international charitable organisation headquartered in London, England. The organisation reports a worldwide membership of over 1.7million, comprising soldiers, officers and adherents col ...
*Chief of the Staff of The Salvation Army
The Chief of the Staff of The Salvation Army is a Commissioner appointed by the General of The Salvation Army as the second in command internationally. The Chief of the Staff is stationed at International Headquarters in London.
The office of C ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gaither, Israel American Salvationists Salvation Army officers Commissioners in The Salvation Army Living people Year of birth missing (living people)