Bishop Frederick Douglas Washington (January 1, 1913 - January 12, 1988) was a

Pentecostal Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a Protestant Charismatic Christian movement

minister of the Washington Temple Church of God in Christ (COGIC) in

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

, New York. His most famous protégé is Rev.

Al Sharpton Alfred Charles Sharpton Jr. (born October 3, 1954) is an American civil rights activist, Baptist minister, talk show host and politician. Sharpton is the founder of the National Action Network. In 2004, he was a candidate for the Democrati ...

, who acknowledged his call as a minister at the age of nine.

Biographical sketch

Named for civil rights leader

Frederick Douglass Frederick Douglass (born Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, February 1817 or 1818 – February 20, 1895) was an American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman. After escaping from slavery in Maryland, he became ...

, Washington was born on January 1, 1913, in Arkansas. He later served as a pastor for a church in

Montclair, New Jersey Montclair () is a township in Essex County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Situated on the cliffs of the Watchung Mountains, Montclair is a wealthy and diverse commuter town and suburb of New York City within the New York metropolitan area. ...

. With his wife, Madame Ernestine Beatrice Washington, who was called "The Songbird of the East" Washington moved to Brooklyn, New York to set up a tent at 966 Fulton Street. This ministry was known as "The Sawdust Trail". From there Washington's ministry grew until he was able to purchase the old Loew's Theatre that stood at 1372 Bedford Avenue. Eventually, Washington Temple COGIC, with over 5,000 members, became one of the largest congregations of any denomination located in Brooklyn, New York. Washington served as assistant Jurisdictional Prelate to Bishop O. M. Kelly before finally succeeding him in 1983. He also served on the General Board of the Church Of God In Christ as Second Assistant Presiding Bishop to Bishop J.O. Patterson, Sr. In addition to his early work with Sharpton, Washington also served as a mentor and spiritual father to many COGIC pastors. Included among these are Bishop Norman L. Prescott, the prelate of New Jersey's Third Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and pastor of Washington's former church in Montclair; Superintindent Robert L. Madison of Washington Temple; Elder TJ Williams Jr. of First COGIC of

Bridgehampton, NY Bridgehampton is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) on the South Fork of Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 1,756 at the 2010 census. Bridgehampton is in the town of Southampton, on Long Island. Shortly after ...

; Reverend Timothy Wright, world-famous gospel singer, Elder Stanley Williams of Grace Temple COGIC in

Westbury, NY The Incorporated Village of Westbury is a village in the Town of North Hempstead in Nassau County, on Long Island, in New York, United States. It is located about east of Manhattan. The population was 15,404 at the 2020 census. History The firs ...

; Elder Odolph Wright of City Of Faith COGIC (New York and Georgia); and Elder Michael Collymore (North Carolina). Washington also introduced Sharpton to Reverend William Augustus Jones Jr., who converted Sharpton to his current Baptist faith. Interview with Al Sharpton, David Shankbone, ''

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'', December 3, 2007. Washington died in January 1988. He was succeeded as bishop by Ithiel Clemmons and as pastor by Elder Robert L. Madison.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Washington, F. D. 1988 deaths American Pentecostals Church of God in Christ pastors American evangelists American bishops People from Brooklyn 1913 births