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added sources and significant information, he worked with Dr. King and was an important civil rights figure in Virginia
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'''Curtis West Harris, Sr.''' (born [[July 1]], [[1924]] in [[Dendron, Virginia]]) is a [[Minister (Christianity)|minister]], [[civil rights]] activist, and politician in [[Virginia]].
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'''Curtis West Harris, Sr.''' (born [[July 1]], [[1924]] in [[Dendron, Virginia]]) is a [[Minister (Christianity)|minister]], [[civil rights]] activist, and politician in Virginia.


==Civil Rights Work==
Dr. Harris became a member of the National Board of the [[Southern Christian Leadership Conference]] (SCLC) in 1961; and he is presently the SCLC National Vice President. He served as president of the Virginia State Unit of SCLC from 1963 - 1998. For his work as a civil rights activist he received the [[Rosa Parks]] Award from the National SCLC in 1981. Dr. Harris was also a recipient of the 2000 American Century Award and was selected as an outstanding African-American in [[Dominion Virginia Power]]'s 2001 "Strong Black Men & Women" series.
Harris' Civil Rights work began in 1960 with his stint as President of the Hopewell chapter of the [[NAACP]].<ref>{{cite news | first=Lea | last=Setegn | coauthors= | title=Curtis W. Harris | date=2006-02-13 | publisher= | url =http://www.discoverrichmond.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD/MGArticle/RTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1137834054288&path=!news!blackhistory&s=1058750353270 | work =The TimesDispatch | pages = | accessdate = 2008-02-02 | language = }}</ref> In 1960, he was arrested and sentenced to 60 days in jail for his role in a sit-in at a segregated drugstore in [[Hopewell]], Virginia. Later in that year, he protested the segregation of the Hopewell pool, which eventually led to the pool's closure.<ref> {{cite web|url=http://twelfthmasonicdistrict.org/whats_new.html |title=A Tribute to Reverend Dr. Curtis West Harris #33 |accessdate=2008-02-02 |publisher=Twelfth Masonic District }}</ref>


In 1960, he initiated the Hopewell Improvement Association, an affiliate of the [[Southern Christian Leadership Conference]] in 1961 and was elected Vice President.<ref> {{cite web|url=http://twelfthmasonicdistrict.org/whats_new.html |title=A Tribute to Reverend Dr. Curtis West Harris #33 |accessdate=2008-02-02 |publisher=Twelfth Masonic District }}</ref>. He also was named to the Board of Directors of SCLC, when [[Martin Luther King, Jr.]] was also on the Board. He worked with Dr. King on many civil rights initiatives, including the [[Selma to Montgomery marches | famous marches]] from [[Selma, Alabama | Selma]] to [[Montgomery, Alabama | Montgomery]] [[Alabama]].<ref>{{cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=The Rev. Harris is not Finished with his Work | date=2008-01-10 | publisher= | url =http://www.progress-index.com/site/news.cfm?dept_id=462943&newsid=19184747 | work =The Progress-Index | pages = | accessdate = 2008-02-02 | language = }}</ref> Harris cites Dr. King as one of his mentors in the Civil Rights movement.<ref>{{cite news | first=Lea | last=Setegn | coauthors= | title=Curtis W. Harris | date=2006-02-13 | publisher= | url =http://www.discoverrichmond.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD/MGArticle/RTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1137834054288&path=!news!blackhistory&s=1058750353270 | work =The TimesDispatch | pages = | accessdate = 2008-02-02 | language = }}</ref>
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After seven attempts, Dr. Harris was elected to the [[Hopewell, Virginia|Hopewell]] City Council in 1986 because of his successful effort to bring a ward system to the city. In 1998, he was sworn in as the first African-American mayor of Hopewell[http://ci.hopewell.va.us/data/publish/article_149.shtml].
He was elected president of the Virginia State Unit of SCLC and served from 1963 - 1998.<ref> {{cite web|url=http://twelfthmasonicdistrict.org/whats_new.html |title=A Tribute to Reverend Dr. Curtis West Harris #33 |accessdate=2008-02-02 |publisher=Twelfth Masonic District }}</ref>


In 1987, he led a march against [[discrimination]] in Colonial Heights, Virginia. In 1996, he filed a discrimination complaint against a [[Fort Lee (Virginia) | Fort Lee]], Virginia military unit.<ref> {{cite web|url=http://www.dom.com/about/education/strong/2001/curtisharris.jsp |title=2001 Honorees - Curtis W. Harris |accessdate=2008-02-02 |publisher=Dominion }}</ref>
Dr. Harris is presently a member of the Hopewell City Council and retired on December 16, 2007 as pastor of the Union Baptist Church in Hopewell, Virginia after forty-six years as minister.


==Other Professional Work==
==External links==
Reverend Curtis Harris was ordained a [[Baptist]] minister in 1959.<ref>{{cite news | first=Lea | last=Setegn | coauthors= | title=Curtis W. Harris | date=2006-02-13 | publisher= | url =http://www.discoverrichmond.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD/MGArticle/RTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1137834054288&path=!news!blackhistory&s=1058750353270 | work =The TimesDispatch | pages = | accessdate = 2008-02-02 | language = }}</ref>. Harris retired on December 16, 2007 as pastor of the Union Baptist Church in Hopewell, Virginia after forty-six years as minister<ref>{{cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=The Rev. Harris is not Finished with his Work | date=2008-01-10 | publisher= | url =http://www.progress-index.com/site/news.cfm?dept_id=462943&newsid=19184747 | work =The Progress-Index | pages = | accessdate = 2008-02-02 | language = }}</ref> but remains active in the community.
* http://twelfthmasonicdistrict.org/whats_new.html


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Reverend Harris was elected to the [[Hopewell, Virginia|Hopewell]] City Council in 1986 and in 1998, he was sworn in as the first African-American mayor of Hopewell. <ref> {{cite web|url=http://ci.hopewell.va.us/data/publish/article_149.shtml |title=Rev. Curtis W. Harris |accessdate=2008-02-02 |publisher=City of Hopewell, Virginia }}</ref> Reverend Harris remains a member of the Hopewell City Council
{{unreferenced|date=April 2007}}

{{Importance|date=April 2007}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Harris, Curtis W.}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Harris, Curtis W.}}

Revision as of 20:09, 2 February 2008

Curtis West Harris, Sr. (born July 1, 1924 in Dendron, Virginia) is a minister, civil rights activist, and politician in Virginia.

Civil Rights Work

Harris' Civil Rights work began in 1960 with his stint as President of the Hopewell chapter of the NAACP.[1] In 1960, he was arrested and sentenced to 60 days in jail for his role in a sit-in at a segregated drugstore in Hopewell, Virginia. Later in that year, he protested the segregation of the Hopewell pool, which eventually led to the pool's closure.[2]

In 1960, he initiated the Hopewell Improvement Association, an affiliate of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1961 and was elected Vice President.[3]. He also was named to the Board of Directors of SCLC, when Martin Luther King, Jr. was also on the Board. He worked with Dr. King on many civil rights initiatives, including the famous marches from Selma to Montgomery Alabama.[4] Harris cites Dr. King as one of his mentors in the Civil Rights movement.[5] He was elected president of the Virginia State Unit of SCLC and served from 1963 - 1998.[6]

In 1987, he led a march against discrimination in Colonial Heights, Virginia. In 1996, he filed a discrimination complaint against a Fort Lee, Virginia military unit.[7]

Other Professional Work

Reverend Curtis Harris was ordained a Baptist minister in 1959.[8]. Harris retired on December 16, 2007 as pastor of the Union Baptist Church in Hopewell, Virginia after forty-six years as minister[9] but remains active in the community.

Reverend Harris was elected to the Hopewell City Council in 1986 and in 1998, he was sworn in as the first African-American mayor of Hopewell. [10] Reverend Harris remains a member of the Hopewell City Council


References

  1. ^ Setegn, Lea (2006-02-13). "Curtis W. Harris". The TimesDispatch. Retrieved 2008-02-02. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  2. ^ "A Tribute to Reverend Dr. Curtis West Harris #33". Twelfth Masonic District. Retrieved 2008-02-02.
  3. ^ "A Tribute to Reverend Dr. Curtis West Harris #33". Twelfth Masonic District. Retrieved 2008-02-02.
  4. ^ "The Rev. Harris is not Finished with his Work". The Progress-Index. 2008-01-10. Retrieved 2008-02-02. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  5. ^ Setegn, Lea (2006-02-13). "Curtis W. Harris". The TimesDispatch. Retrieved 2008-02-02. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  6. ^ "A Tribute to Reverend Dr. Curtis West Harris #33". Twelfth Masonic District. Retrieved 2008-02-02.
  7. ^ "2001 Honorees - Curtis W. Harris". Dominion. Retrieved 2008-02-02.
  8. ^ Setegn, Lea (2006-02-13). "Curtis W. Harris". The TimesDispatch. Retrieved 2008-02-02. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  9. ^ "The Rev. Harris is not Finished with his Work". The Progress-Index. 2008-01-10. Retrieved 2008-02-02. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  10. ^ "Rev. Curtis W. Harris". City of Hopewell, Virginia. Retrieved 2008-02-02.
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