At the time, elder michaux, known as the happy am i preacher, had a national radio show on the cbs network that. Courtesy scurlock studio, national museum of american history, smithsonian institution. Check out singing the gospel 19331936 by various artists on amazon music. Elder lightfoot solomon michaux, the happy am i preacher. Check out oh what a day by elder lightfoot solomon michaux on amazon music. Elder michaux was a religious tv show on the dumont television network, hosted by evangelist lightfoot solomon michaux 18851969. Oh what a day by elder lightfoot solomon michaux on amazon. Lightfoot solomon michaux november 7, 1885 october 20, 1968 was an africanamerican.
Elder michaux was a religious tv show on the dumont television network, hosted by evangelist lightfoot solomon michaux 18851969 broadcast history. Bunk history what many remember solomon lightfoot michaux for was his captivating sermons, his powerful radio ministry, as well as, his activist. Apr 02, 2018 elder lightfoot solomon michaux was a pioneering evangelist. Luckily, solomon inherited his fathers business savvy and in 1906 he was able to land a. His father owned a grocery that young solomon would work in his younger years. He was an early pioneer in radio and television evangelism and the first african american preacher to fully capitalize on the rise of mass media in modern america. Michaux was born in newport news, virginia, 1895although birth year and day is uncertainthe son of henry michaux and blanche pollard.
The extraordinary life and times of elder lightfoot solomon michaux. Search the history of over 411 billion web pages on the internet. In 1936, elder lightfoot solomon michaux, an africanamerican radio evangelist with over 25 million listeners across america in 1934, bought 500 acres of land located along the james river with. Solomon lightfoot michaux was an evangelist and founder of the church of god. Mar 30, 2008 solomon lightfoot michaux died on october 20, 1968, in washington, district of columbia, usa. Early america, intellectual and cultural history, history of knowledge and scholarship, history of the book, history of medicine and the body, history of education, history of gender and sexuality, history of manhood and masculinity. According to the book the forgotten network by david weinstein temple university press, 2004, the. Biographies michaux, lightfoot timeline the association. Ashcrafteason, lillian, elder lightfoot solomon michaux. Much public opinion of solomon lightfoot michaux was focused on his charismatic preaching, his mass annual baptizing, and. Lewis michaux is eulogized in harlem as a bookseller who.
Saunders, 19171994 search this custom craft search this scurlock, addison n. Jun 14, 2015 solomon michaux, also known as elder lightfoot solomon michaux 1885 1969, was a charismatic evangelist, real estate developer, entrepreneur, and founder of the church of god. By john eligonapril 2, 2018 elder lightfoot solomon michaux was a pioneering evangelist. The church of god gospel spreading association was founded in 1919 by elder lightfoot solomon and sister mary eliza pauline michaux. When lightfoot solomon michaux pitched his first revival tent at the corner of. Lightfoot michaux portrait, cropped library of congress, lcdighec23588 elder michaux at happy news cafe library of congress, lcdighec23587 annual baptism by elder michaux at the griffith stadium photograph by addison n. What did elder lightfoot solomon michaux do answers.
In october 1934, the washington post published a feature about elder lightfoot solomon michaux in which it boldly declared that the radio evangelist extraordinary, is the best known colored man in the united states today. Elder michaux established our first church in newport news, va on november 22, 1919. Elder lightfoot solomon michaux conducting a service in 1948. Michaux despised the word negro, contending that it was a word used for slaves and that it denied a people their history and their homeland. The show was 30 minutes long, originated as a local program on dumont station wttg in washington, d.
Various sacred roots of the blues when the sun goes down. Elder lightfoot solomon michaux was from my hometown, newport news, va. Much public opinion of solomon lightfoot michaux was focused on his charismatic preaching, his mass annual baptizing, and his colorful radio ministry, including his cross choir. The city all christians seek elder lightfoot solomon michaux black religious music 19301956. Top tracks elder lightfoot solomon michaux elder lightfoot solomon michaux topic. She is currently working on her third book tentatively titled, the happy am i preacher. Lightfoot solomon michaux november 7, 1885 october 20, 1968 was an africanamerican evangelist. The earliest africanamerican national radio and television minister and advisor of three american presidents, the elder lightfoot solomon michaux purchased the lands around you in 1936. A member of the church of god at williamsburg, va, howard w. Pentecostal song, sound, and authentic voices ashon crawley. Elder michaux was known as the happy am i preacher, but he was also a businessman. Dec 21, 2017 history professor suzanne smith of george mason university has worked with walter forsberg, media archivist of the national museum of african american history and culture, to digitize an extraordinary collection of recordings from elder lightfoot solomon michauxs church of god broadcasts. Top tracks elder lightfoot solomon michaux youtube.
The church of god at williamsburg was established in 1928 and rebirthed in 1998. New documents reveal how fbi deployed a black televangelist. The church of god at williamsburg black history may god bless you. Dec 28, 2017 history professor suzanne smith of george mason university has worked with walter forsberg, media archivist of the national museum of african american history and culture, to digitize an extraordinary collection of recordings from elder lightfoot solomon michauxs church of god broadcasts. New research shows how elder michaux, the first minister with a weekly television show, worked with the f. The evangelist immediately launched a coordinated public critique against king and the gospel the civil rights minister preached. Marion smith obituary williamsburg, va daily press. Elder lightfoot solomon michaux started gospel spreading church in the year of 1919. He is the brother of the happy am i radio preacher elder lightfoot solomon michaux who built a 600 unit housing development for the poor in washington dc. Newport news preacher redefined the black church daily press.
Elder lightfoot solomon michaux was a pioneering evangelist. She is currently working on her third book, tentatively titled the happy am i preacher. How this popular black evangelist colluded with fbi to destroy mlk. How this popular black evangelist colluded with fbi to. Funeral directors and the african american way of death belknap press, 2010 neh. Michaux, solomon lightfoot, elder search this roosevelt, eleanor, 18841962 search this subseries creator. From the time, he pitched that tent and asked the lord for 150 souls, elder michaux. The extraordinary life and times of elder lightfoot solomon michaux forthcoming john turner, religious studies neh. I n 2017, the national archives released a new trove of fbi files in response to a freedom of information act request i made. Jet magazine baptisms by elder michaux in potomoc river. He founded seven east coast church of god congregations. Michaux invoked the history of african enslavement, the historical significance of. The securityscreened documents reveal how the bureau solicited and received sacred assistance in their crusade to discredit martin luther king, jr.
Apr 03, 2018 the fbis efforts to destroy kings reputation are well known, but less known is how the bureau colluded with elder lightfoot solomon michaux, then a widely successful black radio preacher and televangelist, in their campaign against king. Five years later, the prosperous entrepreneur built a 3story home off. One songwriter composed, through many dangers, toils and snares we have already come. Yall dont understand about this album, this album was recorded 1920s. Solomon michaux was born in newport news on november 7, 1884. The church of god of williamsburg would like to acknowledge our past founder, elder lightfoot solomon michaux. Louis, uncovered this while working on a book on religious broadcasters. Through gods providence and grace, he raised up elder lightfoot solomon michaux and his wife mary eliza to be the founders of our church organization in 1919. Solomon lightfoot michaux18841968evangelistsolomon lightfoot michaux. In the history of african american religion in the 1930s, michaux tends. Michaux was born around 1885 in buckroe beach, virginia into a devout family of baptists.
Elder lightfoot solomon michauxs radio church of god digital archive, radio preservation task force conference, library of congress, november 4, 2017. Solomon lightfoot michaux died on october 20, 1968, in washington, district of columbia, usa. When lightfoot solomon michaux pitched his first revival tent at the corner of 19th and jefferson in 1919, hed already made his mark selling fish and groceries. In the 1930s, he realized the potential of using the media in spreading the gospel around the world. Featured texts all books all texts latest this just in smithsonian libraries fedlink us genealogy lincoln collection. My book argues that elder lightfoot solomon michaux is critical to our. Solomon lightfoot michaux was born on october 7, 1883 in newport news, virginia, usa. Overview of weve come a long, long way, 1944, directed by jack goldberg, with at turner classic movies. Before coming to new york he worked as a pea picker, window washer and deacon in the philadelphia, church of his brother, lightfoot solomon. Authors, pohticans, church officials and a street speaker eulogized lewis h. Apr 29, 20 when lightfoot solomon michaux pitched his first revival tent at the corner of 19th and jefferson in 1919, hed already made his mark selling fish and groceries.
This article explains how the federal bureau of investigation fbi partnered with african american minister elder lightfoot solomon michaux to discredit and neutralize reverend martin luther king jr. Michaux was an early pioneer in radio and television evangelism, an innovative real estate developer, an astute businessman, a newspaper publisher, and a restaurateur. New documents reveal how the fbi deployed a televangelist to. Elder michaux was indeed in the holiness movement, however not pentecostal. Professor suzanne smith was recently awarded a research fellowship from the national endowment for the humanities to support work on her new book project, the happy am i preacher. Michaux, lightfoot solomon 18841968 elder michaux religious show. Elder lightfoot solomon michaux the way of improvement leads. The elder started out as a fisherman, but went on to fish for mens souls, bringing them to christ, by preaching to them the true word of god. In researching for her forthcoming book on michaux, a. Nov 08, 2014 provided to youtube by the orchard enterprises part 3 text. Elder lighfoot solomon michaux on february 7, 2011. Michaux yesterday as a bookseller who did as much as anyone in the last four decades to.
1150 1438 1045 1520 477 1389 1087 335 993 894 1189 1399 275 222 121 562 1144 1285 181 294 813 609 901 550 515 1271 538 119 627 1264 985 1434 1287 771