John Hope Bryant: Founder and CEO of Operation Hope. He serves on President Obama's Advisory Council on Financial Capability. He is the author of "Love Leadership."
The magic of Atlanta, Georgia, unlike other American cities, is that icons and legends you read about in history books are walking, living and still leading, right amongst you -- on an everyday basis. From my personal hero civil rights icon Ambassador Andrew Young, who was the strategist and right arm to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to leaders of the movement such as C.T. Vivian, Congressman John Lewis, Ms. Xernona Clayton and Rev. Joseph Lowery.
From Mrs. Christine King-Farris, the surviving sibling of Dr. King, who now teaches at Spelman College and is totally accessible to students there, to a new generation of leaders who are carrying on their iconic parent's tradition, such as my friends Dr. Bernice King, Martin Luther King, III, Isaac Farris and Andrea Young, and so many others.
Leaders of the civil rights movement are not simply "important" to the American experience in the Ameircan South, they all are literally co-founders of the third American Revolution. A Revolution that started with America's break from Britain, and following that the American Civil War, and ultimately her Civil Rights Movement. As Dr. King once said about his work, "the civil rights movement was about saving black men's bodies and white men's souls."
It always frustrates me when people in Atlanta treat these leaders and icons with such "casualness," as it is truly unique and special for any American citizen to be able to live, walk and work alongside living legends.
Just one of the many benefits of living in a truly unique American city: Atlanta, Georgia. Honored to call this city my Home. Okay, let's go.
John Hope Bryant is a thought leader, founder, chairman and CEO of Operation HOPE and Bryant Group Companies, Inc. Magazine/CEO READ bestselling business author of LOVE LEADERSHIP: The New Way to Lead in a Fear-Based World (Jossey-Bass) the only African-American bestselling business author in America, and is chairman of the Subcommittee for the Under-Served and Community Empowerment for the U.S. President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability, for President Barack Obama. Mr. Bryant is the co-founder of the Gallup-HOPE Index, the only national research poll on youth financial dignity and youth economic energy in the U.S. He is also a co-founder of Global Dignity with HRH Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and Professor Pekka Himanen of Finland. Global Dignity is affiliated with the Forum of Young Global Leaders and the World Economic Forum.
By Maria Saporta
The inscription couldn’t be more appropriate.
On the tomb of Dr. Martin Luther King Sr., the message is: “I LOVE EVERYONE. STILL IN BUSINESS. JUST MOVED UPSTAIRS.
The legacy of “Daddy King” — as he was known to close friends and family — will live on through the M.L. King Sr. Community Resource Complex, which is under construction next to Ebenezer Baptist Church. King Sr. was a pastor at Ebenezer — a role he shared with his son — Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
On Sunday afternoon, Ebenezer held a program spotlighting the “business” side of Daddy King — someone who combined his religious teachings with economic lessons of self-sufficiency.
His daughter, Christine King Farris, said Daddy King had a mind for business.
“He knew how to handle his funds,” Farris said. “That’s how he got on the board of directors of Citizens Trust Bank. I almost followed him. I worked at Citizens Trust, and I majored in economics.”
King Sr. joined the board of Citizens Trust in the 1950s, where he served for several decades.
“Daddy King struggled with whether he wanted to be a businessman or a preacher,” said John Hope Bryant at the Ebenezer program on Sunday. “He did both.”
This coming Sunday, February 12th, 2012, at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church led by my friend and partner, Reverend Dr. Raphael Warnock, I will join both civil rights icon Ambassador Andrew Young and Rev. Dr. Raphael Warnock, the 5th pastor of America's freedom church in its more than 125 year history, for a special CONVERSATION ON LEADERSHIP: From Civil Rights to Silver Rights, and the new Civil Roghts Issue of Financial Dignity.
Operation HOPE is partnering with Ebenezer Baptist Church to build the HOPE Financial Dignity, Ebenezer, which will be the anchor tenant and partner in the new Martin Luther King, Sr. Community Resource Complex at Ebenezer, and within the broader King Center complex. The HOPE Financial Dignity Center, Ebenezer is supported by the FINANCIAL SERVICES ROUNDTABLE and its members SunTrust Bank, State Farm Insurance, LPL Financial, Wells Fargo and MasterCard, as well as the US Economic Development Administration, the Coca-Cola Company and the United Way of Greater Atlanta.
Hosted by the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church but not limited to members of Ebenezer, if you are a leader in the greater Atlanta area, you can contact Operation HOPE, Atlanta to RSVP at 404-941-2919, or to get additional information.
John Hope Bryant is a thought leader, founder, chairman and CEO of Operation HOPE and Bryant Group Companies, Inc. Magazine/CEO READ bestselling business author of LOVE LEADERSHIP: The New Way to Lead in a Fear-Based World (Jossey-Bass) the only African-American bestselling business author in America, and is chairman of the Subcommittee for the Under-Served and Community Empowerment for the U.S. President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability, for President Barack Obama. Mr. Bryant is the co-founder of the Gallup-HOPE Index, the only national research poll on youth financial dignity and youth economic energy in the U.S. He is also a co-founder of Global Dignity with HRH Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and Professor Pekka Himanen of Finland. Global Dignity is affiliated with the Forum of Young Global Leaders and the World Economic Forum.
John Hope Bryant was the keynote speaker at the 27th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Hall of Fame Banquet.
Buy PhotoBRAD McCLENNY/Special to the GuardianLife in the 21st century is about economic freedom more than anything else for blacks in Gainesville, the U.S. and people around the world.
That was the message delivered by John Hope Bryant at the 27th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Hall of Fame Banquet Sunday night to more than 325 people at the Paramount Plaza Hotel.
Read the complete story here.
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