#RolandMartinUnfiltered - #RolandMartinUnfiltered celebrates the life and legacy of Rev. Joseph Lowery

Episode Date: April 1, 2020

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Sometimes as dads, I think we're too hard on ourselves. We get down on ourselves on not being able to, you know, we're the providers, but we also have to learn to take care of ourselves. A wrap-away, you got to pray for yourself as well as for everybody else, but never forget yourself. Self-love made me a better dad because I realized my worth. Never stop being a dad. That's dedication.

Find out more at fatherhood.gov. Brought to you by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Ad Council. Thank you. ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത� Thank you. ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത� Thank you. ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത� Thank you. ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത്ത� Thank you. We'll be right back. Every dollar that you give to us supports our daily digital show. There's only one daily digital show out here that keeps it black and keep it real. As Roland Martin Unfiltered, support the Roland Martin Unfiltered Daily Digital Show by going to RolandMartinUnfiltered.com. Our goal is to get 20,000 of our fans contributing 50 bucks each for the whole year. You can make this possible. RolandMartinUnfiltered.com Late Friday night, Reverend Dr. Joseph Lowry passed away at his home in Atlanta,

surrounded by his daughters. He's been called the dean of the civil rights movement. Again, he was 98 years old. Lowry was a co-founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, along with Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. According to the Joseph and Evelyn Lowry Institute for Justice and Human Rights, he died peacefully at 10 p.m. Here's Reverend Lowry delivering the eulogy at the funeral of Coretta Scott King, and you notice he was not shy in criticizing

a president sitting right behind him on stage. What a family reunion. Rosa and Martin were reminiscing. They'd just begun to talk. When Martin seemed not to listen, he started to walk. The wind had whispered in his ear, When Martin seemed not to listen, he started to walk. The wind had whispered in his ear,

I believe somebody is almost here. Excuse me, Rosa. Martin said as he did depart, his soul was on fire. He just couldn't wait. His spirit leaked with joy as he moved toward the pearly gates glory glory hallelujah and after 40 years almost 40 years together at last together at last thank god Thank you, Corella. Didn't she carry her grief with dignity? Yes.

Her growing influence with humility? Yes. She secured his seed, nurtured his nobility. She declared humanity's worth and vented their vision, his and hers, for peace in all earth. She opposed discrimination based on race. She frowned on homophobia and gender bias she rejected on his face. She summoned the nations to steady war no more. She embraced the wonders of the human family from show to show.

Excuse me, Maya. She extended Martin's message against poverty, racism, and war. She deplored the terror inflicted by our smart bums on missions way afar. We know now there were no weapons of mass destruction over there. But Coretta knew and we know that there are weapons of misdirection right down here. Millions without health insurance, poverty abounds, for war billions more, but no more for the poor. Well, Coretta had harsh critics, some no one could please, but she paid them no mind. She kept speaking for the least of me. Down but through as we get older, so I'm told, We listen in to heaven like the prophets of old.

I heard Martin and Coretta say, do us a favor, Joe. Those four little children I spoke of in 63, they're fine adults now, as all can see. They already know, but tell them again. We love them so dear. Assure them we'll always be near their troubles to bless and sanctify to them their deepest distress tell them we believe in them as we know

you do we know their faith in god and their love for each other will see them through assure them at the end of the tunnel awaits God's light and we are confident that they will always strive for the right. Tell them don't forget to remember that we're as near as their prayer and never afar and we can rest in peace

because they know who and whose they are. What a family reunion. Thank you, Lord. Just the other day, I thought I heard you say, Corella, my child, come on home. You've earned your rest. Your body is weary. You've done your best. Her witness and character always strong. Her spirit a melody from heaven's song. Her beauty warm like the rays of the sun. Good night, my sister. Well done. Well done. All right, folks, joining us right now is someone who knew him well,

Reverend Jesse Jackson Sr. Reverend, glad to have you on the show. Certainly a tremendous loss for so many of us to lose Reverend Joseph Lowry. He was lost, you know, rolling. I was in the group of young men in Montgomery in 1955. Joe knew him before 1955. He was one of the rituals and helped me upon the boycott. Joe, a long-distance runner, was blessed to have a glorious life of longevity.

When Dr. King was killed and it was dark, Joe stayed in the South, arguing that the South is the peace of our kingdom. And right now we see the New South rising and a lot of the people in the South are at risk. When you talk about staying there in the South, of course

that's what he did. Of course he was eventually called to Atlanta. A lot of people called him this humble, gentle soul, but it was Coretta Scott King who said he probably marched more than anybody else. When you look at his cumulative number of marches he participated in. No, he was president 13 years ago. The president's 27 years, a long life service. And Joe in South Africa, Joe in Middle East,

and Adam was put out of the U.N. Joe in Venezuela, Joe in Nicaragua. And so the fact of the matter is he helped inspire a generation, and we thank him for his service. I talked with him about a month ago, and like many, I can't go down there because of the services and situation. and we thank him for his service. I talked with him about a month ago, and like many, I can't go down there because of the services and situation. I'm a member of his family,

a member of his family, one day this week, I suppose. The equipment's going to be a memorial, sir. We can't fly down there with any great numbers. One of the things that when you talk about calling him, whenever I would fly to Atlanta, I would always give him a call, just to check on him.

I did that a few months ago. I had the opportunity to co-host his birthday celebration. It took place in October. You stopped by there as well. You had your birthday event that same night in Atlanta. One of the things that people don't understand, that Reverend Lowry had a tremendous sense of humor. Yeah, he also was a profound preacher.

I mean, he was Dr. Angel, too, by the way. But Joe, I think he never received the recognition he was due. And Dr. James Shadow's chance so long. It was what he needed. But the dude, what he was doing, he never got it, Motorola. Well, but, you know, one of those things is that, of course, when you do the work, it's all about the work. And that's what most people focus on, but you're absolutely right.

Many, many civil rights luminaries did not get the proper credit they absolutely deserved. The reason I raise this about credit is because you can leverage credit for change. For example, Joe should have been on national networks all day to show

but he was not for the most part. But we who were in the shuttle knew his presence and felt his presence. And Elvin Lauer and all the great families of our time, the Kings, the Lowers, those are jewels of our circle, our families. Reverend Dizzy Jackson Sr., it's always a pleasure talking with you. We certainly appreciate it. Thanks a lot.

Love you, Roland. Thanks, sir. Love you, Roland. Thanks, sir. Love you as well. We appreciate it. Folks, in 2009, when President Barack Obama was sworn in as the first African-American president, the 44th president, he asked Reverend Joseph Lowry to give the benediction. A lot of people were not particularly happy with what Reverend Lowry had

to say and how he ended it, but he didn't care because he understood when something needed to be said, you just say it. E.E. Lowry to deliver the benediction. God of our weary years, God of our silent tears, Thou who has brought us thus far along the way. Thou who has by thy might

led us into the light. Keep us forever in the path we pray. Lest our feet stray from the places our God where we met thee. lest our hearts drunk with the wine of the world, we forget thee. Shattered beneath thy hand, may we forever stand true to thee, O God, and true to our native land. We truly give thanks for the glorious experience we've shared this day. We pray now, O Lord, for your blessing upon thy servant, Barack Obama, the 44th President of these United States, his family, and his administration. He has come to this high office at a low moment in the national and indeed the global fiscal climate. But because we know you've got the whole world in your hands, we pray for not only our nation, pressed by the flood of mortal ills. For we know that, Lord, you're able and you're willing to work through faithful leadership

to restore stability, mend our brokenness, heal our wounds, and deliver us from the exploitation of the poor or the least of these and from favoritism toward the rich the elite of these we thank you for the empowering of thy servant our 44th president to inspire our nation to believe that yes we can work together to achieve a more perfect union. And while we have sown the seeds of greed, the wind of greed and corruption, and even as we reap the whirlwind of social and economic disruption, We seek forgiveness and we come in the spirit of unity and solidarity to commit our support to our president by our willingness to make sacrifices,

to respect your creation, to turn to each other and not on each other. And now Lord, in the complex arena of human relations, help us to make choices on the side of love, not hate. On the side of inclusion, not exclusion. Tolerance, not intolerance. And as we leave this mountaintop, help us to hold on to the spirit of fellowship and the oneness of our family. Let us take that power back to our homes, our workplaces, our churches, our temples, our mosques, wherever we seek your will. Bless President Barack, First Lady Michelle. Look over our little angelic Sasha and Malia. We go now to walk together, children, pledging that we won't get weary in the difficult days ahead.

We know you will not leave us alone with your hands of power and your heart of love. Help us then now, Lord, to work for that day when nations shall not lift up sword against nation, when tanks will be beaten into tractors, when every man and every woman shall sit under his or her own binding fig tree, and none shall be afraid when justice will roll down like waters and righteousness as a mighty stream. Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest,

and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get back, when brown can stick around, when yellow will be mellow, when the red man can get ahead, man, and when white will embrace what is right. Let all those who do justice and love mercy say amen. Say amen. And amen. Go right to our panel. I want to start first off with Avis.

Avis, certainly, Dr. Lowry was one of our most esteemed leaders. And what a lot of people really, again, don't, I think, appreciate that our... They put it all on the line. They faced death every day. In fact, his wife, who was there with him every step of the way, they had a particular march, and he asked his wife

to drive the car at the back of the march because it was so unsafe. Shots were fired, a bullet barely missed her head, killing her. And he still owned that car. These brothers and sisters put their lives on the line for the next generation. Absolutely, it's so different from the moment that we live in now put their lives on the line for the next generation. Absolutely.

It's so different from the moment that we live in now where it feels like, though there are definitely examples today of people who will take action for what they believe in in very bold ways, the reality is that there's a whole generation of people, I believe, who kind of feel like activism is mainly relegated to being on Twitter. And, you know, it's really important that we understand those who came before us and sacrificed it all, some of whom did not survive

the civil rights movement and previous movements prior to that and just actions for freedom prior to that, but who knew that they were risking their lives each and every day, whether or not it was in a very overt way like that, or just knowing that they were taking the action of trying to register people, of being involved with trying to bring freedom and justice to this country, just navigating the world. They could get shot in the back, for example. You know, so it is, I think it's very important that we don't forget that history, because I get concerned when I hear a lot of minimalization

of those sacrifices and disrespect of the older generation who quite frankly, had they not have the bravery to do what they did those who are taking the the advancements that we have today so for granted would not be able to express themselves and even navigate life in the way that they do right now. Of course, we need to do more, but we cannot forget and disrespect the bravery, the persistence, and the brilliance of the strategy and action and sacrifices of those who got us to where we are today. Preston, when you hear Ava's talk about that,

I make it a point. I've made a point to try to interview as many of these folks as possible for moments like this so we always have that on tape for folks to be able to see, for folks to be able to listen to them, listen to the wisdom they

had to offer, but also to tell them thank you for what they did because we could not be sitting in the places we sit if they didn't do what they did because we could not be sitting in the places we sit if they didn't do what they did. Yes, I so appreciate what just happened here. I was here shouting, snapping my fingers and saying amen to one thing I really appreciated about the previous point. What was it did not relegate or diminish what young people are currently doing, right? While acknowledging that

older people in our generations, definitely before me, what they've done to actually make space for people like me to have the voice that I have, to be on your show, Roland. So something that really has frustrated me often is when I see the shirt or hear the quote, I am not my ancestor. And for me, I'm like, you better hope that you are ancestor. Like the bravery, the strategy, the steadfastness that actually went into our ancestors and our people and my grandparents and even my parents. The things that they've had to deal with while I have to deal with a lot is I can't even compare sometimes, right? Sometimes I wake up and I'm just thankful because I can't imagine what many of them went through. And so, of course, I look at it of two ways, right? So

on one hand, we should not diminish or romanticize what our ancestors and our four parents and forefathers have gone through. What we also should not do is diminish the activism that young people are doing every day. We've seen, you know, from climate justice to gun violence to sexual assault prevention to racial justice to gender justice, just how much work younger people are doing. And some of it may look like it's online. And I don't want to diminish that online activism is activism, particularly for communities that may not be able to march on streets and be on the ground, right? For example, you know, many people with disabilities engage in online spaces because for folks with physical disabilities, it is, it's really hard to actually

be there and be physically present. So I do think we have to be nuanced in how we're discussing activism in Black communities, but we should never diminish the work and the role of younger people or people who have come before us and are still living right now. Amisha, first of all, that's a great point. One of the things that also when you talk about Reverend Joseph Lowry, as I said earlier, they did not leave the South and go to New York or go to Los Angeles or... No, they stood there. He was there in Alabama. He was there in Georgia and remained committed to the cause. When Dr. King gets assassinated,

Ralph Abernathy takes over the SCLC in the 70s, Lowry steps in, and I read many stories where it was Lowry who actually kept the SCLC going in the 70s and the 80s as well to keep them viable as a civil rights organization. Absolutely. And I think that that's a very strong thing to point out, because as many black people, I personally am a product of a family that originated in Mississippi and then moved to Chicago in the midst of the civil rights movement, because as much as my grandparents were involved, they could not take an understanding that a lot of the South, in their opinion, was a place that wasn't going to change. Even though we saw areas in the North that were developing and we saw some legal changes in the South, if you were really in the midst of it, you knew that that fight was extremely hard, extremely long-term, and that you're still at risk in 2020 for a lot of areas of progress in the

South that other places have no real cognition of. So I think that it says something to his spirit. It says something to his fidelity to purpose. It says something to his understanding of what the South faced, that he committed his entire life to devoting his time to civil rights and justice and equity throughout that area. And I think that that is something that he should be remembered for, something that we should talk about him more regularly for, and also something that we should herald, not only in him, but also in young people who are activists who choose to

stay in these hotbed areas where the win is not something that is going to be easy. The mountain you climb is going to be extremely steep. It's going to take years in the trenches to even see a little bit of progress. But those people, that is what America is built on. That is what our change is built on. Those people have a very different type of spirit, growth, and strength that I think that we should honor in much stronger ways. All right, folks, I want to go to someone right now who knew Reverend Lowry quite well. He lives there in Atlanta.

We adore him. We appreciate him. He also fraternity brothers with Reverend Lowry, Dr. King, myself, alphas in the house. It's always a pleasure for us to talk with Ambassador Andrew Young. Ambassador Young, glad to talk to you. Okay, you got me at home. We got you, sir. Not in my normal studio.

It's all good. It's all good. It's always good. Glad to see you regardless. Just share a few words with us about your longtime friend, Reverend Dr. Joseph Lowry. Well, you know, Joe was the reigning Methodist in the movement. Almost everybody was Baptist.

But he was Methodist. I was a member of the Congregational Church. Jose actually was a Presbyterian. And I think we made it. We had a hard time standing up against all those Baptists.

They'd always pick on us and say that we couldn't preach because we didn't hoop and holler. One of the things that I said earlier is that, Dr. Lowry, like so many of you, look, y'all stayed in the South. They didn't run. They didn't flee. Let me tell you, you know, David Dinkins and I were classmates. And he was a little ahead of me.

And he'd been to the Marines, so he's a little older. But he cussed me out for going back down south. And I said, well, you've got to straighten out the south. He said, no, you can come to New York. You've got it made in New York. And we're going to do so much. I said, look, we will get New York at the south straight before you all get New York straight. And actually, I got to be ambassador to the United Nations, and I came up there and I campaigned for him to run for mayor. That is certainly too funny there.

Reverend Lowry, one of the things that you and I often talk about is the humor of Dr. King. Reverend Lowry, one of the things that you and I often talk about is the humor of Dr. King. Reverend Lowry is real. I always love to hear him tell stories and also tell jokes like yourself. Well, the thing is that people think of us as, I don't know what they think of us as, but the truth of it is we were kids. Yep. I mean, Martin was 25 and was running a mimeograph machine

as the lowest preacher in town should have been doing when they had a fuss in the Montgomery Improvement Association between two preachers, and the women said, look, these old guys have been fussing for years. Why don't we elect this young man that just got here and give him a chance? And, you know, between five and six o'clock, the whole time switched. And by seven o'clock, he elected the president of the Montgomery Improvement Association and had to make the opening speech at 8 with no time to prepare. And so Joe Lowry was running the bus boycott in Mobile,

and Joe was a little older. In fact, Joe's about 10 years older than the rest of us. But he was one of the first people that Martin called about getting the preachers together. And they were trying to get 100 preachers together from across the South. And I was still up north. I was really in the country. I was in Thomasville and Beechton, Georgia.

And I had, maybe altogether in two churches, I had 40 members. And so I didn't get invited. But the meeting went on, and it was really Bayard Rustin that got them together. And I think Joe was – I always gave Joe the credit for the slogan, to redeem the soul of America from the triple evils of race, war, and poverty. Racism, war, and poverty. You give him credit? Really? Well, yeah, because he was, I mean, they were always putting pressure on Martin, you know, the press.

Right. And Joe was usually, you know, along with, well, Bayard Rustin was there, too, so he probably had something to do with it. But he was usually on a committee that had to put something in writing. And, but it's, but I'm saying that he was there from the very beginning, and he's been there to the bitter end. I mean, to 98. And he was... My wife is... I'm on the television set. Just tell your wife you're talking to Roland Martin. I know she loves me.

I'm talking to Roland Martin. See? See? She's telling me about somebody signifying about somebody. I don't know. You see the magic word? You said you were rolling bars. She went, okay. No, but Joe Lowry was always there.

Now, he, see, Methodists have to go where the bishop transfers them. And whenever Joe would get into some controversy, it seemed like they'd transfer him to some other place. And he really should have been the first black Methodist bishop, but he would never be a good pastor. He was always stirring up trouble everywhere he went. So he wasn't safe. He wasn't safe.

And but he kept, they kept moving him around. He went from Mobile to Huntsville, and then he came back to Atlanta, and he'd get one church going, and they'd move him to another church, and he kept on keeping on. And he built this beautiful Cascade United Methodist Church, which is sort of the prize of, I think, a denomination in the South in terms of its ministry. And he got it built and set up, and then they retired him, and he never got to pastor it. So he didn't have an easy life, and it was hard being a prophet.

But he never wavered in his commitment and he was always picking on me why everybody picked on me because you were you the youngest no i wasn't older no john actually that's right. Actually, you were actually older than a lot of them. Well, I was right in between. I was three years younger than Martin and ten years younger than Joe. So why was he always picking on you? Well, maybe because Martin expected me to be the conservative in the group. The only time he got mad with me was when I went along with everybody else.

He stopped the meeting and took me to his office. He said, what the hell are you doing? I said, I get tired of playing the conservative. He said, look, your job is, he said, these emotional folk will get me killed for nothing. He said, I don't mind dying. And I know my time is coming, but I want to be able to make the decision. And if you are not going to give the most conservative reason for not doing something. And they weigh out here on one side and you've got to be on the other side. And that gives me more room in the middle.

And then I can come down and make a decision on what is it I'm willing to risk my life over. So it was every decision we made was a life and death decision. And he would usually end up calling the shops and then, you know, deciding who was going to get killed, jumping in front of a camera, taking it to try to, you know to get the picture in the paper. Whoever he picked on, he ended up preaching their funeral. Joe was moving around so in the 60s that he was the chairman of the board.

And so he was in the board meetings, but he was not—he had to pastor a church. And usually the churches he was pastoring were not where we were in the movement. So it wasn't until he retired and took over completely that he was in the front line of all the action. Right. Now, he was there. Right. He delivered the bans to Governor Wallace at the end of the Selma to Montgomery March. And in a way, that was a more dangerous mission than marching, because we were marching together in a big group but then when you had to go confront the governor you usually went by yourself

with one or two at most and you were away from the mob from the crowd and that that that's that's a rough place. I got to ask you this here. You and I talk about this a lot, and I'm always blown away when you talk about this here. You said, point blank, that if it wasn't for the women, the civil rights movement would not have taken place. The wives of folks like you, Dr. King, Ralph

Abernathy, I can go on and on and on. I told the story earlier about his wife, Evelyn, almost being shot, a bullet almost hitting her in the head. It went right through the back of the windshield, went right between the two

of them. He had gotten out of the car. But they... All of us married... Well... The truth of it is, when they would get together, they would say, look, if you all had married some of the girls you were dating in college,

nobody would have ever heard your name. But we did marry women who were dedicated. And all of them had their own racial trials, you know, as children. And they were committed to change in the South. And it wasn't, we never had to convince them about going somewhere. And Evelyn's children were grown, were older than mine. And so she went along with him almost every way he went. And then she organized SCLC Women.

And because after Dr. King went on to glory, we didn't have the stability in the organization that it needed. And really, SCLC women provided that stability. They did most of the fundraising. They worked with, well, they got him to lead a gun buyback. And I don't know how many guns they bought. But they were just buying aggressive program serving the community. But now Joe stayed in the forefront of the politics, and he was really the—I think he was the first one to sign on with President Obama. He was. And in fact,

he co-chaired his national voter registration effort. And he had a couple of words for you for supporting Hillary Clinton. Well, I know. It didn't bother me because it was never about just race for me. Right.

I had a couple of problems. One, my mother's godchild was Hillary Clinton's roommate in college. So I had known her since she was a teenager. And I had never met Obama. You had a relationship. You had a relationship. Yeah, anybody who said that

they thought this country could elect somebody named Barack Hussein Obama as president is lying. I got to ask you this here, sir. Last question for you, because I don't want to hold you long. And it's very simple.

If there was one thing, if there's 25, 50 years from now, and some kid is on the internet, they're in a classroom, and they're looking up some videos and they see the name Joseph Lowry. What do you want them to know? That he was a man who gave his entire life in the service of God and God's children. Simple as that.

Ambassador Andrew Young, it is always good to see you, always good to talk with you. We certainly appreciate it. We love you for what you have done, all that you've done, and talk to you soon. You know, it's just an accident, but I had my Howard University T-shirt on today. I must have known you were going to call.

I see you representing the Bison. I appreciate it, sir. All right. You take care. Bye-bye. Always a good talk to the great Ambassador Andrew Young, certainly a legend himself. All right, folks, I want to go to Melanie Campbell, who joined. First of all, just real quick, just real quick, Preston, I know you had to get a kick out of listening to some of those golden stories from Ambassador Young.

Yeah, it was, listen, my young alpha heart is smiling. So soon as you even said that, right, from you, of course, Brother Roland to Brother Ambassador Young, I just feel like I'm sitting with so many heroes in multiple fields. And so I just can't appreciate anything more than just really sitting on a history lesson of people who I deeply have cared about and their mission and their legacy for a long time. So thank you for that. And I hope to one day be able to contribute to that same legacy in the future. Absolutely. I want to go to, uh, Melanie Campbell,

of course, National Coalition of Black Civic Participation, convener of the Black Women's Roundtable. Melanie, how you doing? I'm doing great, Roland. How are you? Doing good. One of the things I think is important that people understand is that Reverend Lowry, let's just be real honest, the Black Freedom Movement was very much a patriarchal system.

Uh, women were not always at the forefront, often were relegated to the back. Reverend Lowry, though, was one of the folks who was not afraid to elevate and share the stage with women. Oh, most definitely. Roland and I, I spent about 20 years in Atlanta. So I cut my teeth in the civil rights movement in Atlanta, Georgia. My last job before I moved to Washington, D.C. in 1995 was working for the SCLC and Reverend Laurie. So we went on many a marches in 95, worked with him and Reverend James Orange, of course, and Mrs. Laurie.

And there were women that were in the movement working with SCLC women. But yeah, Dr. Laurie hired me to help with Reverend Orange, and we worked on the Selma to Montgomery reenactment march in 1995, went on many protests with him, participated in so many, many things. And he was a founding board member of the National Coalition. And so I worked for him in that way. And many, many years I've been just having a lot of

memories of working with him and Dr. Height. They were our duo for many, many years here in Washington, working on issues around the reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act in 2005 and 2006, when we had it, were able to get it reauthorized, Section 5 reauthorized. Just many, many good memories. And you're right. He didn't take no mess. He wanted you to get it done. He was also

a no-nonsense. And in fact, folks, if y'all had that photo, actually, I was at that march in Atlanta in 2005. Reverend Lowry was leading that in the wheelchair, sitting right next to him. Of course, with him was his wife, Evelyn.

The thing that also, when I think about Reverend Lowry, Melanie, is that as he became, as he got older, people saw him as the dean, so many people would go to him for advice and counsel in terms of what's next, because I still fundamentally believe one of the most underappreciated aspects of the black freedom movement was the strategizing and up in Washington, D.C., it was definitely many, many meetings I can remember in the basement of the NCNW building, strategizing around issues around affirmative action out ways to save affirmative action. So many, and dealing with the 2000 election after it was stolen by the Supreme Court with that decision, and being in so many rooms where you would see the Bill Lucys of the world and so many others,

and I call names, that get in trouble. But just knowing the leadership of that generation believed in coalition in a way that I don't think we do as well in the Me Too kind of generations that we're growing up in, but being able to be, spend those years in Atlanta under so many civil rights leaders' names, you know, and names you don't know, and learning the power of coalition, the power of how we work together. We are a stronger force. And so Dr. Lowry, he did that, you know, until he was just said, okay, I'm ready to move. He never stopped. After he retired from SCLC in 1997, he started the Georgia Coalition for the People's Agenda, the Helen Butler, another black woman who's leading on the ground in Georgia.

So he never stopped. He said, we need an agenda. And they started doing, what do you call it, report cards of elected officials who were people who were wanting to run for office so we could have an agenda in Georgia to push on election officials. And so Helen's been running that for a number of years now and doing a wonderful job, never stopping, never forgetting. And just being on bus tours. I remember in 2008, when we went on the bus tour early, after he had, this was the primaries in South Carolina, getting out to vote. Not partisanly, but just being remembered,

knocking on doors with him, going into public housing and encouraging folks. But he never stopped until God just brought him on home. And he's up there with a whole lot of other movement folks. He's in the library, of course. In fact, you just spoke of her. Joining us right now is Helen Butler, convener of the Georgia Coalition for the People's

Agenda, and also Reverend Lowry's executive director. We'll talk to her actually in a moment. First off, so Helen, how you doing? I'm doing well, Roland. How are you? Doing great. Just so you can just share your thoughts and memories of Reverend Dr. Joseph Lowry. Well, I tell you, Roland, I was listening to Melanie and I was really reflecting on so many of those great things that we were involved in with Dr.

Lowry. And one of the greatest things that I remember is him being able to mentor so many people and to really be concerned about our communities, making sure that we were protected, our right to vote, the environment, education, you name it, he was involved not only in the state of Georgia nationally, but globally from Africa and the Caribbean and making sure that people of color were really had a voice. And he spoke for those who did not have a voice. And again, as I said to Melanie, look, this was somebody who who understood the critical role that women played. I mean, the institute was the Evelyn and Joseph Lowry Institute. And it wasn't just about him. I mean, his wife was at the center of it until her death. Every time you saw him, you saw her. That's correct.

They were a twosome, two for one. When you got one, you got both. And it was just a blessing for me to be there to learn from him, the strategies. His mind was so brilliant. And so he was very sharp and clear all the way through. Final comments from the both of you. The one lasting memory, Helen, that you have of Dr. Lowry? The one lasting memory I have is that he was really concerned about the least of these,

and that is what we will try to carry on his legacy throughout Georgia and throughout the South to ensure that people have their say, that they get engaged, and that they're not forgotten. No matter where it might be in the criminal justice system, education, or just public policy all around, that we have our voice, and he desperately was that voice. Melanie, your final comment. Yes, he was a movement. He exhumed the movement every day.

And he was a consummate preacher. And he would teach us also. And he always talked about redeeming the soul of America and how concerned he was. And so we have to continue his legacy as this country goes through all we're going through to make sure that we do our part in redeeming the soul of this country. All right, then.

Melanie Campbell, as well as Helen Butler, we appreciate it. Thank you so very much. Thank you, Roland. Thank you. All right, folks, got to go to a break. We come back. My interview with Reverend Joseph Lowry

at his 96th birthday celebration took place in 2017 in Atlanta. We'll play that up next. is it okay Uh. Can you believe it? I think I'm gonna be able to speak. I think I'm really, really sick of that. How important, though, is it not just celebrating your birthday, but Angela Rice said it's amazing that on your birthday you can still honor and recognize those... We're gonna make an adjustment uh and so uh

you should have the video cue in there so let's go ahead and play that uh so we can fix the audio go ahead and play it all right 96 years can't believe it i think they made a mistake i think it's really 86. How important, though, is it not just celebrating your birthday, but Angela Rice said it's amazing that on your birthday you would still honor and recognize those out here who are doing amazing work. Well, that's been the goal of my life, to help lift those who ought to be lifted, including you. And I appreciate your presence here. I appreciate your work that you do from day to day.

You keep us informed. You keep us aware of what's happening in the world and i want to thank you well i appreciate it you've seen a whole lot in your 96 years uh what would you tell black folks in this age of trump in this age of madness what they should be doing well there's never been a time when we should be more united. There's never been a time we should be more together. And I'm appreciative of the fact that so many black folks are coming together, expressing in their own way determination to move forward and to let the good time roll.

It was at this point, 50 years ago, we were in the final eight to nine months of Dr. King's life. April 4th, 1968, 2018 will mark the 50th anniversary of when he was assassinated. For you, thinking back to those days, thinking back to lead up to that, what really stands out that this generation needs to know? Well, we need to know that emulating Martin Luther King's personality and his commitment to justice is one of the best things we can do. It's not enough to put his picture on the mantelpiece, on the dresser. It's more important to put his life to work in our own lives and our witness for truth and justice and letting justice roll down like waters

and righteousness like the mighty stream. What do you most miss about him? What do you most miss about him? What do you most miss about him? Well, his spirit, his intelligence, and his integrity. He was an humble man in spite of all his gifts and abilities, he was humble. And he used his humility to reach out and touch the lives of common people and poor people. And I thank him for that. One of your honorees tonight is Reverend Dr. William Barber, and he's picking up that mantle

of the Poor People's Campaign. I text him. They lost his luggage at the airport. He said he lost his toothbrush, his medicine and everything. He wanted to be here. He said, all I had was tennis shoes. I said, well, Jesus wore sandals. You still should have came on. I wish he had come on, but he felt he didn't have clothes, he didn't have toiletries, he didn't have anything. And I'm not going to tell it because I don't want to reflect on Delta.

Last thing, you've added your late wife's name to this institute. You are really teaching and training young people. Speak to how critical it is for our elders to put into place institutions that will outlive them to teach the next generation. Well, that's essential. God expects us to light a candle that will brighten up the path now dark for those who come behind us. We have young people who are talented, intelligent. We want to do everything we can to enable them to express their intelligence

and their commitment for the common good. My brother, we love you. We thank you for all that you've done. And I see you in that black and gold looking like a good alpha man. Good seeing you. I appreciate it. Thank you so much. God bless you. I appreciate it. Thank you so much. God bless you. Well, I got a final comment from my panel. First off, Avis Jones-Weaver. Well, you know, we are just fortunate. We're fortunate to have been able to have our lives

and our time on this planet intersect with his. He was a gift to all of us. Someone who not only had a mighty spirit and did the work, but as you showcased in that interview, someone who always paid it forward and recognized others and served as a beacon to the next generation and a mentor to the next generation. And so, you know, we're blessed to have shared this space with him

and we wish him Godspeed, and just... he will be missed. Amaysha. Reverend Lowery amplified what it means to be a civil servant. He amplified what it means to give your all for a cause that in many cases is bigger than you. He devoted his life to being a voice to the voiceless,

to being able to stand up against the status quo. And I think that he showed us all the way. And for all intents and purposes, that is what he should be remembered for, that living, breathing legacy of greatness, of servitude, of not letting anything stand in his way and being someone who we should all consider a role model. Preston. We're blessed to live with someone like Brother Reverend Dr. Lowry. He spoke for marginalized communities, including Black people, women, our queer and transgender family. He will be remembered for the surmountable obstacles that he passed and for his life and his legacy

of really building people every single day. And we should all aspire to be just like him. All right. Avis, Amisha, and Preston, we still appreciate it. Thanks a lot. Thank you. Thank you. Folks, in 2017, one of the folks

who his Lowry Institute honored was Angela Rye. And just to give you a sense of the gift of gab of Reverend Lowry, check this out. Our cameras were there and we shot this. And luckily, I still had it. So watch this here. Who's up next? So, Dad, what would you like to say to Angela?

I'd like to say a lot of things to her. What is that? But I'm chicken. Angela, thank you for what you've done. You tell it like it is. So do you. Well, but you tell it like it is in a pretty frame.

He can get away with that. He's 96. Well, that's all you can do. You finished? You finished? You finished? Hey, hey. Are you finished? You finished? Hey, hey. Are you finished?

Thank you, baby. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Thank you very much. Ladies and gentlemen, please give another hand to Angela Rye. Folks, in a moment, we're going to have a virtual eulogy given by Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, also ordained minister, longtime friend of Reverend Dr. Joseph Lowry.

But you know, a preacher always has to have a setup before they speak. And so in 2017, actor Keith Davis served as the emcee of the program, but he also blessed the audience with this song. So we'll have this before we hear it from Reverend Cleaver. I was born by a river In a little tent But oh, just like the river I've been running ever since

It's been a long, a long time coming And I know the change is gonna come Oh, yes, it will I've been too tired of living. But I'm afraid to die. Because I don't know what's up there beyond the sky. It's been a long, a long time coming. And I know a change is going to come.

Oh, yes, it will. If I can help somebody as I pass along. If I can cheer somebody with a word or song If I can show somebody he is traveling wrong Then my living shall not be

in vain. That is the great Keith David. Let's really appreciate that. Folks, one of the people who is extremely close with Reverend Dr. Joseph Lowry is Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, also ordained minister. He also, his father was very close

with Reverend Dr. Joseph Lowery. And as we stated up top, because of the coronavirus, the family's having a private funeral. They announced later in the year they're gonna be at a public memorial. So we chose to do something different, and that is we wanted Reverend Cleaver to give a virtual eulogy for his longtime friend and mentor, Reverend Dr. Joseph Lowry.

And so, Congressman Cleaver, Reverend Cleaver, my alpha brother, take it away. This is a tribute to a great man, a man that I looked at over the years as my father in the ministry. And shortly after leaving Texas, where I was born, raised, and educated, I moved to Kansas City, where I was asked by Dr. Ralph Abernathy, who had succeeded Dr. Martin Luther King as president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, to organize a chapter of that organization right here in Kansas City. I was a young whippersnapper who proudly became a go-for in the civil rights movement for the Giants. Some of those lofty men were Fred Shuttlesworth, Y.T. Walker, Nelson Fireball Johnson, Jose Williams, C.K. Steele, James Lawson, and the chairman of the SCLC board, Dr. Joseph Echols Lowry. It was Dr. Lowry who early on embraced me and suggested that I consider seminary. Dr. Major Jones, a member of the SCLC board, was also the president of Gammon Theological Seminary in Atlanta,

who said to me, if you'll come to Gammon, I'll give you a scholarship. But because I was about to get married, I chose to attend the St. Paul School of Theology here in Kansas City, where I received my first job. Dr. Lowry, already a nationally renowned United Methodist pastor, guided me as I began to pastor a small Methodist church while organizing the SCLC in Kansas City at the instruction of Dr. Abernathy. Dr. Lowry was the model for me and many other young African-American Methodist preachers. Dr. Lowry demonstrated the kind of leader we wanted to be. And in demonstrations, we demonstrated once in Greene County, Alabama.

It was the most dangerous march that I'd ever been in. But I never had any hesitation about following Dr. Joseph Lowry. I called him Dr. Joseph. He was for me the consummate leader in that he acted out leadership instead of acting out lordship. The thing I most admired was that Dr. Lowry was self-confident without being self-absorbed. He was brilliant without being cocky and funny without being improper. And as the president of the National Conference of Black Mayors back in the 90s, I was thrilled at one of our banquets to present him with the National Leadership Award. Actually, he deservedly has received hundreds of awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama. And that's appropriate because it was the work of Dr. Lowry that helped propel Barack Obama

to the White House. Now, speaking of freedom, I read somewhere, very likely in a letter from the Apostle Paul to a small Christian community in a place called Galatia. The people were called Galatians. This is an area which is today located near Cappadocia in Turkey. The Apostle Paul wrote, and I quote, It was for freedom that Christ set us free. Therefore, keep standing firm and do not be subject again to the yoke of slavery. And that's what Dr. Lowry preached. We must not give up on all of the gains we have brought forth. We must not again fall to the yoke of slavery. I don't mean the slavery

that we experienced in the 1800s. I'm talking about a slavery that would prevent us from being our best selves and we must not regress. That's all what of Joseph Lowry or the others who worked with SCLC like John Lewis and Jim Lawson and Benjamin Hooks and Franklin Lee and Bernard Lee and James Orange and many, many others who placed their lives on hold and gave everything they had and a little bit more to secure the freedom and opportunities that these young minorities are enjoying today. Communication is the real work of freedom fighters, and Joe Lowry was one of the best ever, and I've heard them all.

All the great preachers, I've heard them all. Dr. Major Jones said that he'd never heard Joe Lowry give a bad sermon, and I agree. I've heard him dozens of times, and I can say that I never, ever heard Joe Lowry flunk a sermon. In fact, he spoke in such a powerful way that people love to listen to him, and that's rare. To borrow from John Quincy Adams, I will say that when Joseph Lowry was 98 years old, a friend said, Joe, how are you today? How is Joseph Lowry? And he replied, well, Joseph Lowry himself is very well, thank you. But that house he lives in is sadly dilapidated

it is teetering on its foundation, the walls are badly shattered and the roof is worn, the building trembles with every wind and I think that young Adams will have to move out before long.

But he himself is very well. Joseph Lowry has moved out of the house that he lived in because the house became only a shack, and it would have fallen in. But he moved out. Thank God he moved out because Dr. Joseph Eccles Lowry is now with his father in heaven. Glory. Hallelujah. And because I am a preacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ, I need to tell you that according to the book of Exodus,

three years ago, a new king took power and did not know Joseph. I do not mean Joseph, the husband of Mary, the mother of Jesus. No, I don't mean Joseph Biden, nor Joseph Namath, nor Joseph Cotton, nor Joseph Clifford, Montana, nor Joseph Simmons, a.k.a. Ron DMC. I'm speaking of Joe Lowry, Joseph Lowry. And I hope the new ruler understands that there still live among us the sons and daughters of Joseph Lowry, whom you do not know. So be on notice that we will not back up, shut up, or hush up. We will, however, sit up, speak up, climb up, vote up, until we rise up to the freedom level that Joseph Lowry worked and died for. Let me just end because Joe Lowry was such a humorous person.

I was imagining what would be his first words when he made it into glory. And I believe it would be this. God bless you, Joe Lowry. And thank you for all you've done for me and this country. Amen. Reverend Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, we certainly appreciate you doing this for us. Thanks a lot. God bless. Folks, Congressman Cleaver spoke of Joseph Lowry being presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2009. This is that ceremony of the medal of freedom did not set out to win this or any other award they did not set out in pursuit of glory or fame or riches rather they set out guided by passion committed to hard work aided by persistence often with few few advantages, but the gifts,

grace, and good name God gave them. So let them stand as an example here in the United States and around the world of what we can achieve in our own lives. Let them stand as an example of the difference we can make in the lives of others. Let each of their stories stand as an example of a life well lived. Reverend Joseph E. Lowry has marched through life with faith and purpose, carrying with him the legacy of a movement that touched America's conscience and changed its history. At the forefront of the major civil rights events of our time, from the Montgomery bus boycott to protests against apartheid, he has served as a tireless

beacon for nonviolence and social justice. As a pastor and civil rights advocate, he co-founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and championed the cause of peace and freedom around the world. The United States proudly honors this outstanding leader. You don't want to get hurt. We don't want to see you get hurt. You mean us no harm. We mean, you know, please sit down. And everybody held their breath, not knowing what their reaction would be.

And believe it or not, he sat down. And we were the most, two black preachers, probably the most surprised people on the bus. And in two more stops, he got up and got off the bus, slammed the door. He was very angry. He said something back to the bus driver. I don't remember what he said. Then we went on and rode on to the Pritchett to the end of the line,

and there were some black people on the front. We got off. We mentioned to one of the ladies. She said, y'all are segregating the buses. I said, yeah, we're segregating the buses. I said, aren't you tired of having to ride in the back? She said, yeah, we're segregating the buses. I said, aren't you tired of having to ride in the back? She said, yeah, I guess so. She said, but I've been back there so long.

I'm not sure how I feel right now, but I'm glad y'all are doing it. We said, thank you. And so we caught another bus going back to town. That was the end of the experience that was worth sharing. Folks, Reverend Dr. Joseph Lowry, of course, end of the experience that was worth sharing. Folks, Reverend Dr. Joseph Lowery, of course, passed away at the age of 98 on Friday. We certainly wanted to give him his just due

with this special show. One of the things that we did, even with Washington Watch and News 1 Now and TV One, we always honored, took the opportunity to honor and celebrate our legends. Of course, last week, we tell you Curly Neal, the Harlem Globetrotters, he passed away. Jimmy Wynn, a longtime power hitter for the Houston Astros from Houston, he died the following day at 78. And on that same Thursday, we lost O'Neal Swanson, fraternity brother of ours, but also a legendary owner of Swanson Funeral Home in Detroit. And then the next day, we lost Reverend Joseph Lowry, certainly. And then, of course, I found out over the weekend, Bubba Thomas, the great music educator and teacher,

I participated in one of his summer jazz workshops in Houston. He also passed away over the weekend. And so it's always our responsibility, folks, to honor our legends. One of the reasons why we created this show, because we know very well the likes of Reverend Joseph Lowry wouldn't get as just due on the cable news networks and the broadcast networks. It might get mentioned. It might get overlooked. But we didn't want to overlook it. There were a number of people who we had called, who we wanted to get into tonight's show, and as time began to window down, we couldn't. But we're going to try to get them on either tomorrow or later this week. We want to hear from Mark Muriel of the National Urban League,

Janice Mathis. We want to hear from Reverend Jim Lawson, of course, who worked alongside Dr. Joseph Lowry. But the best way, folks, to end this tribute to Reverend Joseph Lowry is to hear from the great Yolanda Adams. In 2017, as I said, we were there for the awards presentation, birthday celebration of Reverend Joseph Lowery. You saw the interview that I did with him.

Well, Yolanda Adams closed it out that night with an amazing song. And so after that wonderful virtual eulogy from Reverend Congressman Emmanuel Cleaver. The best way to end this celebration of the life and legacy of Reverend Dr. Joseph Lowry is to give you a sense of what Yolanda Adams sang that night.

Folks, we certainly want to thank you for supporting Roland Martin Unfiltered. This is why we do what we do. Please support us at RolandMartinUnfiltered.com. Please support us with our Bring the Funk fan club. We'll see you guys tomorrow. Here he is, Yolanda Adams, celebrating Reverend Dr. Joseph Lowry. Hello, everyone. It is so good to see you.

I am here for one of the most amazing men on the planet Earth. Amen. Amen. He is one of my favorite people in the whole wide world. And when they called and said that he wanted a couple of songs that were his favorites, I'm like, well, you know, I could do five. And they're like, no, man, we don't need you to do that many. You're a little too excited about being here, but I really am. And I just honor you. And I thank you so much for inviting me to celebrate you. And I just want to sing this

for you. Visions that can change the world Trapped inside this ordinary girl She looks just like me Too afraid she'll dream out loud. And though it's simple, your idea, it won't make sense to everybody. No, no, you'll need courage now if you're gonna persevere to fulfill divine purpose. You gotta answer when you're called. So don't be afraid to face the world against the odds.

Keep the dream alive. Don't let it die. If something deep inside does inspire you to try, don't stop and never give up. Don't ever give up on you. Don't give up Now all your victories will

come in time You work today to change your tomorrow It does get easier. He's already shown us we can fly. Now every step you take, you get closer to your destination.

I know you feel it now. And you know you're almost there You're almost there Oh, yeah, yes Answer when he calls So don't be afraid To face this world Against the odds

Keep the dream alive, don't let it die. If something deep inside does inspire you to try, never stop, go and never give up. Don't ever give up on you Who holds the pieces to the puzzle? The answers that solve mysteries mysteries the keys that do unlock your understanding they are all inside of you God gave you everything

you will ever need so keep the dream alive. Don't let it die. Because something deep inside does inspire you to try. Never stop. Oh, and never, ever, ever give up on you Don't give up

Don't give up Oh, no, no, no. Don't give up. God bless you. I remember when that actual recording was released, and it was a couple of weeks before 9-11, and I was invited to the White House, and President Bush was there at that time to sing that. And as Will and Angela have said so eloquently, although he was who he was, there was

humanity in him that we're not experiencing right now. And having been to the White House in all types of situations with all types of presidents, we have to understand that for some reason, as both of them again said so eloquently, I believe this is the time for all of us in this room and all of us in this world to really galvanize ourselves together and show them what God can do when you say yes. Because when all the odds are stacked against you, you can't do anything but go up because you're already on your knees. You'll get that when you get home. Did you get it? Thank you so much. I appreciate that. Well, this one is

especially for you. I was told that there was a video of you responding to this song. And I said, well, I have to sing this song. If he responded like that to the video, I'm like, I just want to see how he responds when I do it in person. I love you, doc. I've come through many hard trials, through temptations on every end Though Satan tried to stop me And place my feet on sinking sand Through the pain and all of my sorrows, through the tears and all of my fears, the Lord was there to keep me for He's kept me in the midst of it all

Not because I've been so faithful No, no, no, no Not because I always obeyed No, it's not Because I trusted Him to be with me all the way. But it's because he loves me dearly. Yes, he does. He was there to answer my call. He was there always to protect me.

Oh, he's kept me in the midst of it all. I've come through. Oh, yes, I have. Many hard trials through Temptations on every hand And Satan was there Trying to stop me And to place my feet on sinking sand

Oh, but Jesus loves me so dearly. Yes, he does. He was there to answer my Always to protect me He's kept me Oh, no, no, no He's never, never let me down And he's never let me, never let me fall Yes, he will. He will protect you. Yes, he will. He's never let me fall.

In the midst of it all. Oh, no. He's never let me fall. Yes, he's never left me, no yes, and he's never left before Yes, he will protect you, yes, he will, yes He's in the midst of it all He's kept me. He kept me when times got hard and they sure got rough, God. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. He's kept me.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Jesus kept me. I thought I could do it all on my own. But Jesus. Yeah. Oh, Jesus., oh, Jesus, he kept me when I wanted to drown. Yes, he did. He kept me.

He kept me. Jesus kept me when I thought I was going to lose my mind, Jesus kept me. With his power, Jesus kept me. He never, ever, ever let me fall down. Jesus kept me right there, right there in the midst of it all. Now I don't know what you're going through. Just allow me, just allow me, just allow me, just allow me to recover you. Cause if he did it for me and my child, for me and my child, for me and my child, for me and my child, for me and my child.

Here I go. Yes. Jesus, Jesus. Hey. Jesus, Jesus. Hey. That's who I call on. Jesus is my way maker. Jesus is my confident. Jesus is my sustainer. He holds me. He protects me. He keeps me.

He keeps me. He keeps me. He keeps me. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus I know who he is I heard it from my grandmother But I know who he is

I heard it from my mama But I know who he is. I heard it from my mama. But I know who he is. I heard it from my dad. But I know who he is. He is my heart. He is my heart. He is my salvation. He is my salvation. He is my company keeper.

Everything. Everything. Everything. That I'll ever need. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Hey, Jesus. Hey, Jesus. Jesus. That's who I call on. Please. There's only one daily digital show out here that keeps it black and keep it real. It's Roland Martin Unfiltered. See that name right there? Roland Martin Unfiltered.

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by going to RolandMartinUnfiltered.com. Our goal is to get 20,000 of our fans contributing 50 bucks each for the whole year. You can make this possible. RolandMartinUnfiltered.com Hey fam, want to check out Roland Martin Unfiltered? The blackest show on all of digital, cable and broadcast. Want to check out our audio podcast? There's only one daily digital show out here that keeps it black and keeps it real.

It's Roland Martin Unfiltered. Press play. Hey everybody, this is Sherri Shepherd. as Roland Martin, Unfiltered. Press play. Martin. Hey, everybody. This is Sherri Shepherd. You're watching Roland Martin, Unfiltered. And while he's doing Unfiltered, I'm practicing the wobble. Yes, I am.

Because Roland Martin's the one, he will do it backwards. He will do it on the side. He messes everybody up when he gets into the wobble. Because he doesn't know how to do it, so he does it backwards. And it just messes me up every single time. So I'm working on it. I got it. You got Roland Martin.

Hi, my name is Latoya Luckett, and you're watching Roland Martin Unfiltered. What's going on, everybody? It's your boy, Mack Wiles, and you are watching Roland Martin Unfiltered. What's up, y'all? It's Ryan Destiny, and you're watching Roland Martin Unfiltered. What up, Lana Well, and you are watching Roland Martin Unfiltered. What up, Lana Wells? And you are watching Roland Martin Unfiltered. I know a lot of cops. They get asked all the time,

have you ever had to shoot your gun? Sometimes the answer is yes. But there's a company dedicated to a future where the answer will always be no. This is Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated. I get right back there and it's bad. Listen to Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Clayton English. I'm Greg Glott.

And this is season two of the War on Drugs podcast. Yes, sir. Last year, a lot of the problems of the drug war. This year, a lot of the biggest names in music and sports. This kind of starts that a little bit, man. We met them at their homes. We met them at their recording studios. Stories matter, and it brings a face to it.

It makes it real. It really does. It makes it real. Listen to new episodes of the We're on Drugs podcast season two on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Sometimes as dads, I think we're too hard on ourselves. We get down on ourselves on not being able to, you know, we're the providers, but we also have to learn to take care of ourselves.

A wrap-away, you got to pray for yourself as well as for everybody else, but never forget yourself. Self-love made me a better dad because I realized my worth. Never stop being a dad. That's dedication. Find out more at fatherhood.gov. Brought to you by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Ad Council. This is an iHeart Podcast.