C. L. Bryant
Cleon Lewis "C. L." Bryant | |
---|---|
Born | |
Alma mater | Fair Park High School in Shreveport Name of college missing |
Occupation(s) | Baptist minister Radio talk show host |
Political party | Republican since 1998 |
Spouse | Jane Carline Pruitt Bryant |
Children | Son Lewis C. Bryant Three daughters |
Parent(s) | Lewis C. and Elnola Bryant |
Cleon Lewis Bryant, known as C. L. Bryant (born March 28, 1956),[1] is an African-American Baptist minister and radio and television host based in his native Shreveport, Louisiana. When he formerly resided in Garland, Texas, he was the president of the NAACP chapter there.[2]
Background
He is the only child of the late Lewis C. Bryant, a World War II veteran, a long-time employee of the Shreveport Club, and Elnola G. Bryant both parents are interred at Carver Memorial Cemetery in Shreveport.[3]
Bryant was one of the first black children to attend Lake Shore Junior High School in Shreveport at the beginning of school desegregation in the late 1960s. He graduated in 1974 from Fair Park High School in Shreveport, along with the Fox Sports announcer Tim Brando.[4]
Career
Bryant earned a Master's degree Theology. He was ordained into the ministry by the late civil rights pioneer, E. Edward Jones, president from 1986 to 2003 of the National Baptist Convention of America, Inc., and pastor for fifty-seven years of the Galilee Missionary Baptist Church in Shreveport. Bryant has served in several church positions, beginning in Longview, Texas, where his struggling congregation received financial assistance from the Shreveport philanthropist Virginia Shehee.[5] At the time of his mother's death in 2005, Bryant was pastor of the Cedar Hill Baptist Church in Grand Cane in DeSoto Parish south of Shreveport.[3]
His C. L. Bryant Show, airs weekday evenings from 5:30 to 7:30 Central Time over KEEL Radio in Shreveport.
Bryant is Senior Fellow at Freedomworks Washington, DC. a member of the Republican Party and has defended itagainst allegations of racism.[6][7]
Often at odds with liberal leaders in the African-American community, Bryant in March 2012 criticized Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton for their role over protests stemming from the controversial shooting of Trayvon Martin in Florida.[8]
Bryant is the founder of the group, "One Nation Back to God", which has a website. In 2012, he produced and released the independent film documentary, Runaway Slave, "a movie about the race to free the Black community from the slavery of tyranny and progressive policies." [8][9][10] He has also penned the 2010 non-fiction book, Lead Us to Temptation, Deliver Us to Evil.[11]
On January 19, 2016, Bryant endorsed U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas for the Republican presidential nomination.[12]
Personal life
He has been married thirty-six years to the former Jane Carline Pruitt.[13] The Bryants have four children and eleven grandchildren. Bryant and his wife reside in Grand Cane, where they are both registered Republican voters.[1][13]
The couple formerly resided in Tampa, Florida; Mrs. Bryant previously lived in Inglewood, California, dates unavailable.
References
- ^ a b "Cleon Bryant, March 1956". Louisiana Secretary of State. Retrieved April 30, 2015.
- ^ Leaders with Ginni Thomas: Rev C. L. Bryant, Daily Caller, 23 October 2011
- ^ a b "Elnola G. Bryant". findagrave.com. Retrieved April 30, 2015.
- ^ "Cleon Bryant (Class of 1974)". classmates.com. Retrieved April 30, 2015.
- ^ The C. L. Bryant Show, July 13, 2015
- ^ "Michelle Obama Rouses NAACP Before Vote Condemning 'Racist' Elements of Tea Party", ABC News, 2 July 12, 2010
- ^ David A. Patten "Blacks Call for Democrat Carson to Resign Over Tea Party 'Hanging' Slam", Newsmax, 31 August 2011
- ^ a b "New York Post's Trayvon Martin Front Page Calls Hooded Lawmakers 'Race Hustlers', Huffington Post, 03/27/2012
- ^ "Runaway Slave". Internet Movie Data Base. April 30, 2015.
- ^ Carter, R.J. "C.L. Bryant: Breaking the New Chains with "Runaway Slave"". CriticalBlast.com. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
- ^ Lead Us to Temptation, Deliver Us to Evil. Slaithwaite, West Yorkshire, England: RAS Publishing. 2010. p. 102. ISBN 978-0615427904. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
- ^ KEEL (AM) Radio, January 19, 2016
- ^ a b "Jane Bryant, January 1947". Louisiana Secretary of State. Retrieved April 30, 2015.
- 1956 births
- Living people
- Baptist ministers from the United States
- People from Shreveport, Louisiana
- Fair Park High School alumni
- People from DeSoto Parish, Louisiana
- People from Tampa, Florida
- People from Longview, Texas
- People from Garland, Texas
- Tea Party movement activists
- Texas Republicans
- Louisiana Republicans
- American radio personalities
- American non-fiction writers
- Activists for African-American civil rights