Civil rights pioneer the Rev. Joseph Lowery, 93, is recovering from surgery after sustaining a hip fracture after a fall in a California hotel room Sunday.
A statement posted Tuesday by the Joseph and Evelyn Lowery Institute for Justice and Human Rights at Clark Atlanta University read:
“On this past Sunday evening, Dr. Joseph Lowery slipped and fell in his hotel room in Santa Barbara, CA, suffering a hip fracture. He underwent a successful surgery on Monday and is resting comfortably and receiving rehab. Two of his daughters are by his side. He is strong and doctors expect him to make a full recovery. We appreciate the love and prayers extended to Dr. Lowery and his family, and ask that you respect their privacy as he recuperates.
“Dr. Lowery was in Santa Barbara attending Oprah Winfrey’s ‘Celebrating SELMA and the Legends Who Paved the Way’ gala, where he was among several civil rights legends honored. We are grateful to Ms. Winfrey beyond measure for the love and support she has extended to the Lowery family.”
Lowery began working for civil rights in 1952. In 1957, he joined Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Ralph David Abernathy, Fred Shuttlesworth and others to form the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
He played a key role in President Barack Obama’s 2009 inauguration ceremony, delivering the benediction. Later that year, he was one of 16 people to be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s top honor for a civilian.
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