Concerned Black Clergy of Metropolitan Atlanta, Inc., (CBC) was conceived in the minds of a group of socially-concious African-American pastors over twenty years ago surround the Atlanta's Missing and Murdered Children. Approximately twenty ministers and lay person met at Paschal Hotel Restaurant in November 1982 and formally became Concerned Black Clergy of Metropolitan Atlanta. Their primary focus was to address the issues that plagued communities to include the needs of homeless people in Metropolitan Atlanta through advocacy and service. The organization was chartered May 9, 1983.
Bishop Cornelius Henderson was elected the first president. His tenure was from 1984-1987. He was followed by Bishop McKinley Young who served from 1988-1991. The third president was Rev. J Allen Milner whose term was 1992-1993. In 1994 Rev. Dr. Gerald L. Durley was inaugurated and served through 1997. Rev. Timothy McDonald, III led the organization from July 1997 to 2004. Rev. Dr. Darrell D. Elligan served as president from 2004 - 2009 and Rev. Dr. Richard H. Cobble as president from 2010 - 2011. Rev. Frank Cornelius Brown, pastor of the Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia served from 2012 to 2015 and afterward for Elder Dr. Ralph P. Peay, a retired Seventh Day Adventist Pastor, served as our ninth president from 2016 to 2018.
In 2019, Concerned Black Clergy nominated their first woman president, Rev. Bettye Holland Williams. Rev. Williams serves as the 10th and current president of the Concerned Black Clergy of Metropolitan Atlanta, Inc. .CBC has undertaken many notable activities over the years from meetings and rallies to marches, arrests and jailing. Churches were formed into clusters to provide food and shelter for the homeless. With the assistance of CBC members, several feeding and sheltering organizations were founded. Several exist to this day.
CBC advocated on behalf of the churches that were impacted by the building of the Georgia Dome. As a result, churches were more equitably compensated. The Vine City Community Development Association was formed. The cost for pharmaceutical services to indigent patients at Grady Hospital were to be dramatically increased. With advocacy and leadership of CBC, the costs were not increased. Additional funds were received from Fulton and Dekalb Counties. Petitions to the State of Georgia continue for additional funding for Grady Hospital.
A 10,000 men and boys March for Brotherhood took place May 18, 1991, highlighting the commitment of men to take responsibility for our community. This successful march gave leadership to the Local Organizing Committee for the Million Man March held several years later in Washington, DC. During the 1980's and 90's, a series of "fly-ins" to Washington, DC took place for area clergy and lay leaders.
Year round, year in and out, Voter Registration and Voter Education activities have been held and sponsored. CBC is credited for registering tens of thousands during these campaigns. The justice system, especially the juvenile level has long been a concern of CBC and a battleground for advocacy. Many activities have been held attacking the disproportionate numbers of African-Americans incarcerated. Marches and campaigns have been held against the death penalty. CBC has attacked the media for its selective pre-trial publicity.
Many health issues have been attacked. Programs have been implemented to increase immunization and increase the number of persons enrolled in PeachCare. During the 1980's, CBC recognized the need to deal with AIDS and the HIV crisis and worked to have clergy involved in the discussion and bring awareness to the epidemic. CBC has formed a partnership in the fight against targeting young African in ads and the placement of tobacco products in stores.
Workers Against Discrimination requested CBC assistance against Lockheed Martin. This was the beginning of CBC's organized fight against corporate injustice and has taken CBC "all the way" in the courts. Victims of the Albany flood and Camilla tornado called upon the Atlanta community for assistance. As a result, local churches through CBC donated thousands of dollars. With your help, Concerned Black Clergy will continue to respond to the needs of community and religious institutions.
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