William S. Epps, pastor of historic Second Baptist Church in Los Angeles, gives the 2008 King Lecture at Claremont on January 31, 2008.

2008 King Celebration Events a Success
January 30-31, 2008

Photos
Participant Bios

The annual events celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr. -- including the 2008 King Lecture, a public forum with preaching pioneers Ella and Henry Mitchell, and the annual King Worship Celebration -- were a resounding success.

The 2008 Black Film Festival continues throughout Black History Month each Friday in February and is open to the public.

"Black History Month at Claremont is always an important time in the life of our community," says Jerry D. Campbell, president of the School. "We hope these events will help us share in the joys of our progress and inspire us ever onward toward Beloved Community."

EVENT PHOTOS

	Ella and Henry Mitchell, front, pose with Lincoln Galloway (homiletics) Dean Susan Nelson, Kathy Black (homiletics and liturgics) and Bishop-in-Residence Charles Wesley Jordan
William S. Epps, pastor of Second Baptist church in Los Angeles, stands with President Jerry D. Campbell before Epps gave the 2008 Martin Luther King, Jr., lecture.
	Claremont alumnus Norman Johnson, pastor of First New Christian Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, preaches at the annual King Celebration Worship Service in Kresge Chapel.
Those who attended the annual King Celebration Worship Service in Kresge Chapel joined hands in singing "We Shall Overcome.
	Ms. April Jackson, a graduate of Paine College and a current M.Div. student at Claremont, reads Scripture during the worship.

PARTICIPANT BIOGRAPHIES

Public Forum: Ella Muriel (Pearson) Mitchell and Henry H. Mitchell
[The Mitchells received Distinguished Alumni/ae Awards from Claremont during the forum.]

Claremont graduates Dr. Ella Muriel (Pearson) Mitchell and Dr. Henry H. Mitchell are widely known as pioneers in the field of African American homiletics and religious education. They met as students at Union Theological Seminary (New York), in 1941, and they married after both completed their master's degrees there. Most recently, they both served as Visiting Professors of Homiletics at the Interdenominational Theological Center (Atlanta, Ga.), and in 2000, they were co-presidents of the American Academy of Homiletics. Together, they co-authored the autobiographical Together for Good: Lessons from Fifty-five Years of Marriage (Judson, 1999). A collection of their sermons has been published in Fire in the Well: Sermons by Ella and Henry Mitchell (Judson, 2003) as well as a festrift entitled Born to Preach: Essays in Honor of the Ministry of Henry & Ella Mitchell (Judson, 2000).

Ella Mitchell holds the Doctor of Ministry from Claremont School of Theology and a Master of Arts in Religious Education from Union Theological Seminary of New York. She has served as Dean of the Chapel at Spelman College (Atlanta, Ga.) and Director of Continuing Education and Associate Professor of Christian Education at Proctor School of Theology (Richmond, Va.). Mitchell has enjoyed a long career with positions in public education, religious and theological education, and social justice ministries. She is author of four volumes of Those Preaching Women (Judson) as well as Women: To Preach or Not to Preach (Judson, 1991).

Henry Mitchell holds the Doctor of Theology from Claremont School of Theology, the Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary, and an M.A. in Linguistics from California State University, Fresno. He served as Dean of the Faculty and Professor of History and Homiletics at Proctor School of Theology (Richmond, Va.). Mitchell also served as the first Martin Luther King, Jr., Professor of Black Church Studies at Colgate Rochester Divinity School (Rochester, New York), as well as Professor of Religion and Pan-African Studies at California State University, Northridge, and numerous pastorates. He is author of Black Preaching (Abingdon 1990), Black Church Beginnings (Eerdman, 2002), and co-author of Soul Theology (Abingdon, 1994) and Preaching for Black Self-Esteem (Lightning Source, 1994). A second edition of Celebration and Experience in Preaching (Abingdon) is due in 2008.

2008 King Lecturer: William S. Epps
Rev. Dr. William S. Epps is the pastor of the historic Second Baptist Church in Los Angeles. In addition to his responsibilities as the pastor, Rev. Epps is also one of the most significant civic leaders in the Los Angeles community. He is a Member of the Board of Directors of the Skid Row Housing Trust, Los Angeles as well as the President of Canaan Housing Corporation, a non-profit, church-based, community organization that seeks to improve the quality of life in the South Central community by developing affordable housing, revitalizing the community and establishing economic and self-help programs. Rev. Epps serves as Adjunct Professor of Preaching at Fuller Theological Seminary and serves as the editor for the National Baptist Voice, the official publication of the National Baptist Convention, U.S.A. He is author of What Did Jesus Say?: A Daily Devotional Journal (Judson, 2004)

PASA Worhip Leader: Norman S. Johnson, Sr.
Claremont alumnus Rev. Dr. Norman S. Johnson, Sr. is senior pastor of First New Christian Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles. He earned the Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry from Claremont School of Theology and has served churches in California and Texas. Johnson, who formerly was executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Greater Los Angeles, is a long-time committed civic leader in the Los Angeles area, involved in political organizing and social justice ministries through his congregation and the SCLC.