Reverend Samuel Berry McKinney is a feature of the shared history of Seattle. “Sam” served as pastor of Seattle’s Mount Zion Baptist Church from 1958 until his retirement in 1998, During that fractious time, Rev. McKinney has been a civil rights leader shaping the conscience of all Seattle. Young McKinney grew up listening to his father preach, and hearing national leaders such as Thurgood Marshall, Walter White, and A. Philip Randolph speak at his father’s church. At Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, Rev. McKinney’s deep inward drive propelled him into the ministry. cKinney quickly became a leader in the “movement for human rights,” which included playing a major role in the Central Area Civil Rights Committee (CACRC). McKinney retired from Mt. Zion in 1998, after serving its congregation for 40 years. But in 2005, he returned to once again lead the church that has been so intrumental in Seattle’s civil rights struggles. For more information, see the following historylink.org articles: Rev. Samuel B. McKinney and Mt. Zion Baptist Church and Martin Luther King Jr.’s visit to Seattle. As a result of his leadership, Mt. Zion became the largest black congregation in the state, a church where political candidates have found it compelling to make a stop. READMORE
Lora-Ellen McKinney to Charley James
“My father has been quite ill for a few weeks and, given his years, has a challenging recovery. He is doing better. Please hold good thoughts for him and us.