Rev. Gardner C. Taylor (Finding Aid)

Rev. Gardner C. Taylor

1918 -

Favorite Color: Red

Favorite Food: Gumbo

Favorite Time of Year: Fall

Favorite Vacation Spot: Jamaica

Interview Length: 138 minutes

Interview Date(s): March 5, 2002

Interview Location(s): Brooklyn, New York

Abstract

Gardner Taylor shares his recollections of his childhood and youth. He briefly recalls his parents' lives, such as their occupations and how they met. He describes growing up as an only child in segregated Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and how the black community was influenced by the presence of two African American institutions of higher learning (Southern University and Leland College.) Taylor also discusses his early educational experiences. Gardner Taylor shares some of his childhood memories of his family, dwelling especially on how they managed after the death of his father. He then details his path towards higher education--his law school aspirations, the traffic accident (in which two white men were killed) that changed his course towards the seminary, and his subsequent preparations for Oberlin College. Taylor also describes his experiences at Oberlin, particularly the racial climate. He concludes by remembering how he met his future wife. Gardner Taylor discusses his early career and marriage, including his courtship, his return to the South to become a pastor, and how he and his wife adjusted to segregation after their years in Ohio. He describes the black community in Louisiana, in terms of both its vibrancy, and the deeply-rooted skin color prejudice. Taylor then details the challenges he faced as a young, inexperienced pastor, particularly in the context of the Civil Rights Movement, as the role of the black church and church leaders became ever more crucial. Gardner Taylor begins and ends the interview with a detailed description of the events that led to the rift in the National Baptist Convention over civil rights, and the subsequent creation of the Progressive National Baptist Convention. The rest of the interview is devoted to his transition to Concord Baptist Church in Brooklyn, New York, and the challenges he met with there--such as the fire that burned the church to the ground. Taylor also describes his travels to Copenhagen and later Australia, where he spoke with Australian Aboriginals about their mutual obstacles to equality. Gardner Taylor revisits the formation of the Progressive National Baptist Convention in 1963. He also briefly mentions being awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Clinton. The rest of the interview is dedicated to theology, in terms of both his personal philosophy, and the evolving concerns of black theologians in general. He also speculates on the future of the black community, the nation, humankind, and how his own legacy might influence it. Taylor concludes by listing his favorite theologians, and reciting his favorite passage of the Bible.

50 Stories (See Ordered Story Set)