Franklin Florence
Franklin Florence | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 9, 1933 Miami, Florida, U.S. |
| Died | February 1, 2023 (aged 89) Rochester, New York, U.S. |
| Education | Pepperdine University |
| Known for | Political activism |
| Spouse | Mary (Payne) Florence |
| Children | 4 |
| Church | Churches of Christ |
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Florence Sr. (August 9, 1933 – February 1, 2023) was an American Christian minister who was heavily involved in civil rights work in Rochester, New York, for five decades. He was most well known as the founder and first president of the civil rights group FIGHT in 1965 after the 1964 Rochester race riot. Prior to his death, he served as the senior pastor at the Central Church of Christ in Rochester, which he founded.
Early life
Florence was born in 1933 to Hozel and Berth Florence. He came under the influence of evangelist Marshall Keeble in his mid-teens.[1] He was educated at Nashville Christian Institute from 1948 to 1952. He later attended Pepperdine University in Los Angeles, dropping out after two years to return home. On his return he was ordained and became pastor of the 18th Street Church of Christ in West Palm Beach. He moved to Rochester in 1959.[2] At the age of 25, Florence was recruited to become the pastor of the Reynolds Street Church of Christ in Rochester, New York, where he moved with his wife and children. He immediately became involved with endeavors aimed to help improve the living conditions of blacks living in the Rochester community.[3]
Civil rights advocacy
FIGHT
Florence was a founder and the first president of FIGHT (Freedom, Independence, God, Honor, Today).[4] Its first convention in Rochester attracted 1,500 people.[5]
FIGHT was established in 1964, although the organization's first official constitution was not ratified until 1965.[6] Originally the FIGHT acronym stood for Freedom, Integration, God, Honor, Today -- "Integration" was later changed to "Independence" as the group adopted more militant strategies.[6]
The organization focused much of its efforts on discriminatory hiring practices at Rochester's largest employers. In 1967, FIGHT successfully negotiated an agreement with
Florence's term as president ended in 1967, and he lost contentious elections in 1969 and 1970. The Rochester Area Ministers Conference, a local group of black ministers, expelled Florence for encouraging “violence and bloodshed" afterwards and removed him from Reynolds Street Church. He started a new congregation at the Central Church of Christ in response, where he and his son Clifford would continue preaching until his death.[3]
Later career
Florence was an observer during the 1971 Attica Prison riot. On September 12, he delivered a sermon to the protesting inmates, denouncing exploitative social conditions.[3] He was a member of the anti-poverty agency Action for a Better Community and the Rochester Northeast Development Corporation. In 1972, he unsuccessfully ran for the New York State Assembly on the Liberal Party line. He also worked for Jesse Jackson's 1984 presidential campaign.[3]
In his later years, Florence protested against police brutality in Rochester. In a 2018 interview, he stated that little progress had been made in the fight against racism since the start of the civil rights movement.[8]
Personal life and death
Florence died in Rochester on February 1, 2023, aged 89.[3]
References
- ISBN 978-0817316129.
- ^ "Franklin Florence Papers", University of Rochester, River Campus Libraries
- ^ a b c d e f Murphy, Justin (February 9, 2023). "Franklin Florence, civil rights leader, dies at 89". Democrat and Chronicle. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
- ISBN 978-1452043579.
- ^ "Churches Form Bedrock of African-American Community". Democrat and Chronicle. February 5, 2011.
- ^ a b FIGHT Constitution. River Campus Library, University of Rochester: FIGHT Rochester. June 11, 1965.
- ^ Goodman, James; Sharp, Brian (July 20, 2014). "Riots spawned FIGHT, other community efforts". Democrat and Chronicle. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
- ^ a b c Macaluso, Tim (September 26, 2018). "Franklin Florence on Rochester and racism: Little has changed". Rochester City Newspaper. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
- ^ Corkery, Michael (September 12, 2021). "'Black Capitalism' Promised a Better City for Everyone. What Happened?". The New York Times. pp. BU1. Retrieved February 1, 2023.