Joseph E. Lowery has so many shining moments from an impactful life that only few have ever lived. He worked alongside the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He helped form the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). He aided in one of the most famous civil rights markers in American history, the Montgomery bus boycott.
Behind the nonagenarian's legacy, there's a detailed journey, perhaps some interesting facts that few people will ever know.
Credit: Kevin C. Cox
Credit: Kevin C. Cox
Here are seven interesting facts about civil rights icon, Rev. Joseph Lowery.
1. Lowery has a nickname.
Many call him the “dean of the civil rights movement.”
2. At the age of 12, Lowery says he was beaten by a white police officer
He recalls that he was repeatedly hit after he unintentionally bumped into the policeman.
3. He has a doctorate in divinity.
He graduated with a Ph.D. from the Ecumenical Institute in Chicago in 1950.
4. Lowery has had his personal assets seized by government officials.
The Montgomery commissioner sued him and a few other members of the SCLC for libel because of a 1960 newspaper ad that criticized the city's police department. Although they initially lost the case, the decision was later overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1964.
5. In the early 2000s, Lowery led the effort to remove the Confederate battle flag from the Georgia state flag.
He led this movement even though he officially retired in 1992.
6. The year of his birth isn’t officially known.
Some sources say he was born 1921, while others record his birth year as 1924.
7. Lowery has been awarded the highest honor a civilian can be awarded during times of peace.
In 2009, President Barack Obama awarded Lowery the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his large contribution to the national interest of the United States.
