Happy 90th Birthday Rev. Joseph Lowery (October 6)
Atlanta, GA (WXIA) – It’s a milestone day for a Civil Rights icon. Rev. Joseph Lowery turned 90-years-old on Thursday.
Students at Therrell High School kicked off his birthday celebration with song during an appearance there on Wednesday. Donna Lowry spoke to Rev. Lowery about what gives him the most pride these days when it comes to this country. As Joseph Lowery approaches another birth milestone he can look on nine decades of a life full of determination, diligence and depth.
“God is so good. I can’t tell you how grateful I am that the Lord has let me be here all these years. And, see so many things occurring that we dreamed about,” he said. “I never dreamed I’d live to see an African American president. Not only was I around, but I participated in his inauguration, which was a great, great experience,” he continued.
Even the experience of the call from the then-President Elect. “I said, let me check my calendar and see if I can make it. I then, quickly said, I said, I’m available. Some of my friends said they want you do the invocation. I said, no. When I do the benediction, I’ll have the last word.”
Among his memories of that day, “As I stood there I heard a voice that was lifted 40-something years later on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, Martin Luther King, crying out to his nation to come out of the basement of race and color, to the higher ground of content and character and there I was participating in the nation’s response to that summons.”
Not long afterwards, the president honored him. “I’m very pleased at this. This is a small version of the medal of freedom…This the highest award a civilian can receive and while I admit, I didn’t deserve it, I’ll take it.
Even the experience of the call from the then-President Elect. “I said, let me check my calendar and see if I can make it. I then, quickly said, I said, I’m available. Some of my friends said they want you do the invocation. I said, no. When I do the benediction, I’ll have the last word.”
Among his memories of that day, “As I stood there I heard a voice that was lifted 40-something years later on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, Martin Luther King, crying out to his nation to come out of the basement of race and color, to the higher ground of content and character and there I was participating in the nation’s response to that summons.”
Not long afterwards, the president honored him. “I’m very pleased at this. This is a small version of the medal of freedom…This the highest award a civilian can receive and while I admit, I didn’t deserve it, I’ll take it.
They’re not going to get it back,” he said.
