1 year ago
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HARLEM, Manhattan (WABC) -- Rev. Dr. Calvin Butts, the longtime politically and socially progressive pastor of Harlem's historical Abyssinian Baptist Church has died, the religion announced Friday.
Butts joined Abyssinian arsenic a younker curate successful 1972, and led the Harlem religion arsenic pastor for decades, becoming a trusted assembly of politicians and the nationalist alike arsenic its elder pastor.
Butts was besides President Emeritus of the State University of New York College astatine Old Westbury and served successful the Fordham University Graduate School of Education arsenic a Distinguished Visiting Professor successful the Educational Leadership, Administration and Policy Division.
He worked with governmental leaders crossed the ideological spectrum.
In 1995, Republican Gov. George Pataki appointed Butts to 2 authorities boards that controlled economical improvement grants to businesses. That aforesaid year, Butts hosted then-Cuban person Fidel Castro astatine Abyssinian, wherever the fatigues-wearing communist received a hero's welcome.
Tyler Perry and Bill and Hillary Clinton were among the mourners astatine a memorial work for histrion Cicely Tyson that Butts presided implicit astatine Abyssinian past year. Butts praised Tyson arsenic an illustration of "an illustration of however we each mightiness live."
The Rev. Al Sharpton called Butts a large pillar successful the Harlem community. "He was a ascendant religion and world person for decades," Sharpton said successful a statement. "We knew each different for much than 40 years, and portion we did not ever hold we ever came backmost together."
The Butts Family and Abyssinian Baptist Church asked for prayers.
Anyone wishing to wage tribute to Dr. Butts tin bash truthful at the church's website.
Back successful 2015, Bill Ritter spoke with Rev. Butts connected an occurrence of Up Close. You tin ticker it here.
Information from the Associated Press was utilized successful this report.
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