L. Ronald Durham is an American

civil right Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' political freedom, freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and ...

activist, pastor and a

Baptist 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 compe ...

minister from Daytona Beach

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

. He has been a pastor at Greater Friendship Baptist Church in Daytona Beach, Florida, leader of local

National Action Network The National Action Network (NAN) is a not-for-profit, civil rights organization founded by the Reverend Al Sharpton in New York City, New York, in early 1991. In a 2016 profile, '' Vanity Fair'' called Sharpton "arguably the country's most infl ...

and has been in ministry for thirty-eight years.

Early life

Raised by his grandparents from birth, he learned early that if you want things in life you have to work for them. His grandparents were of meager means and he wanted to have the same nice clothes as some of his classmates. Keeping the family earnings in mind he wasn't sure that he would be able to attend any college or university, but everything occurred in a messianic way. He attended Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina for four years on a full scholarship provided to him by a complete stranger. From Shaw University, he went on to Evangel Christian University in Monroe, Louisiana where he earned his Doctoral degree.

Activism

He has been an active activist and raised voice against the wrongdoings and injustices at a broader level. He met the Rev. Al Sharpton during a protest of racial profiling on the New Jersey Turnpike by the State Police and he has been working together with Sharpton for two decades. Durham along with Rev. Sharpton organized the rally held at Fort Mellon Park in Sanford, Florida on March 21^st, 2012 after the slaying of young

Trayvon Martin Trayvon Benjamin Martin (February 5, 1995 – February 26, 2012) was a 17-year-old African-American from Miami Gardens, Florida, who was fatally shot in Sanford, Florida, by George Zimmerman, a 28-year-old Hispanic American. Martin had accompa ...

George Zimmerman George Michael Zimmerman (born October 5, 1983) is an American man who fatally shot Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old black boy, in Sanford, Florida, on February 26, 2012. On July 13, 2013, he was acquitted of second-degree murder in '' Flori ...

. Working with local churches, Durham selected the park as the location after meeting with Sanford city officials. It was estimated that more than 30,000 people from all over the United States and visitors from around the world were in attendance. The demonstration was peaceful and no irregularity was seen, even the traffic patterns were not disrupted.

President of Volusia County Democratic Black Caucus

Durham was elected as president of Volusia County Democratic Black Caucus. As a new president, he stated his commitment to the people that their voices would be heard. He said that Volusia County Democratic Black Caucus has been very functional in highlighting the issues of the community and he would play his part in this regard, keeping this fact in mind that community's interest would be the superior of all other interests. Addressing the conference Durham said that voter education is necessary because without this neither the party nor the caucus will be able to address the issues like poverty, rights of women, civil rights, healthcare, and affordable housing. During his speech, he said that balance of power is necessary and it would only be possible if we succeed in educating the voters regarding the value of their votes. He further said that selection of a right candidate and reaching the millennial is more important and we need to focus on these things.

Sports connection

In 1988, Durham and his wife were the hosts of the National Baseball Card Collectors Convention at the Convention Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Some of the guests included

Joe DiMaggio Joseph Paul DiMaggio (November 25, 1914 – March 8, 1999), nicknamed "Joltin' Joe", "The Yankee Clipper" and "Joe D.", was an American baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career in Major League Baseball for the New York Yank ...

Pete Rose Peter Edward Rose Sr. (born April 14, 1941), also known by his nickname "Charlie Hustle", is an American former professional baseball player and manager. Rose played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1963 to 1986, most prominently as a membe ...

, Booby Thompson,

Ralph Branca Ralph Theodore Joseph "Hawk" Branca (January 6, 1926 – November 23, 2016) was an American professional baseball pitcher who played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), from 1944 through 1956. Branca played for the Brooklyn Dodgers (1944� ...

, and other baseball greats.

Achievements

In 2011, Dr. Durham was the first African-American pastor in pray before the start of the Daytona 500 race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. He started assistance programs that provide free food and clothing to anyone in need and created Friendship Academy. The academy is a childcare learning center for preschoolers that are going to gradually add kindergarten through fifth-grade classes. Dr. Durham is the author of "The Secret Power of Prayer" published by the Sunday School Publishing Board in Nashville, TN. He has served as president of Daytona Beach Black Clergy Alliance, an organization whose purpose and objectives revolve around the civic and civil rights issues. He is also the past co-chairman of the FAITH (Fighting Against Injustice Toward Harmony).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Durham, Ronald African-American Baptist ministers Baptist ministers from the United States Activists for African-American civil rights Living people People from Daytona Beach, Florida 20th-century American writers Writers from Florida African-American activists 20th-century American male writers Year of birth missing (living people) 21st-century African-American people