Rev. Calvin O. Butts III, community leader and longtime pastor in Harlem, dies at 73 - CNN

CNN  — 

The Rev. Calvin O. Butts III, a salient religion person who led Abyssinian Baptist Church successful Harlem, died connected Friday, the religion said. He was 73.

“The Butts Family and full Abyssinian Baptist Church rank solicit your prayers for america successful our bereavement,” the religion said successful a connection astir the passing of its beloved pastor.

CNN has reached retired to members of the Butts household for further comment.

Butts served astatine the Abyssinian Baptist Church, considered the archetypal Black Baptist congregation successful the authorities of New York, for much than 30 years.

He was the Chairman of the Abyssinian Development Corporation, “a assemblage based, not-for-profit enactment liable for implicit $1 cardinal successful lodging and commercialized improvement successful Harlem,” his authoritative religion biography says.

Butts besides served arsenic President Emeritus of the State University of New York College astatine Old Westbury and was a visiting prof of Educational Leadership, Administration and Policy Division astatine the Fordham University Graduate School of Education. He was besides joined with 3 children and six grandchildren, his biography states.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said successful a connection that Butts “embodied existent spiritual enactment — with a committedness to faith, community, & mentorship that [she] was honored to witnesser successful [their] enactment together.”

Janai Nelson, president of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, said successful a connection that helium “was a trailblazing unit successful Harlem and crossed New York for generations, arsenic good arsenic a nationalist icon of secular societal justness and civilian rights activism. … We observe Rev. Butts’ legacy, mourn his loss, and basal successful sympathy with each those helium impacted passim his beingness and career.”

New York Attorney General Letitia James called Butts an “icon” and said her bosom is with his family, loved ones, and the full Abyssinian Baptist Church community.”

The Abyssinian Baptist Church was established arsenic the archetypal African-American Baptist religion successful New York authorities successful 1808 by a radical of radical who “refused to judge segregated seating successful the First Baptist Church of New York City,” according to its website. The religion broke crushed astatine its existent determination successful Harlem successful New York City successful 1922, the website states.