Title
Rev. William McKinley Branch, 1918-2004
Subject
Civil rights movements
Branch, William McKinley, 1918-2004
African-American--History--Alabama
Probate judge
Description
The Rev. William McKinley Branch stands behind the stop sign in this barricade during a Greensboro, AL, march in the 1960's. To his left is the Rev. Thomas Gilmore.
Branch was an iconic figure in the 1960's-era civil rights movement in Alabama. He championed rights of black residents across the Black Belt, spent more than 60 years as pastor of Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church in his native Forkland and, in 1970, became the first black probate judge elected in the United States.
Branch was born May 10, 1918, in Forkland into a family of sharecroppers and to a father who admired former President William McKinley.
He graduated from Greene County Training School and earned a theology degree from Selma University and bachelor's of science degree from Alabama State. He studied law at the University of Illinois.
Branch marched from Selma to Montgomery with Martin Luther King Jr. in 1965.
In March, 1968, Branch transported King from Eutaw to Greensboro. King was in Greene County for a demonstration and was headed to Greensboro for a march for voting rights. That was the last time Branch saw King, who was assassinated by a sniper in Memphis, TN., three weeks later.
Branch guided the Rev. Thomas Gilmore who helped transform Greene County politics. At the same time Branch claimed his historic victory as Greene County probate judge, Gilmore was elected the county's first black sheriff.
During his 18 often-tumultuous years as probate judge, he oversaw the construction of a new courthouse that bears his name and the establishment of Greentrack.
Branch's efforts in Greene County and within the civil rights movement took him to the White House where he met every president from John F. Kennedy to Bill Clinton.
Branch was married to Alberta Carpenter Branch for almost 70 years. They had seven children and more than 30 grandchildren and great grandchildren.
A story of Branch's civil rights efforts was published in The Tuscaloosa News on January 16, 2005, and his obituary in the January 16, 2014, edition.
Branch was an iconic figure in the 1960's-era civil rights movement in Alabama. He championed rights of black residents across the Black Belt, spent more than 60 years as pastor of Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church in his native Forkland and, in 1970, became the first black probate judge elected in the United States.
Branch was born May 10, 1918, in Forkland into a family of sharecroppers and to a father who admired former President William McKinley.
He graduated from Greene County Training School and earned a theology degree from Selma University and bachelor's of science degree from Alabama State. He studied law at the University of Illinois.
Branch marched from Selma to Montgomery with Martin Luther King Jr. in 1965.
In March, 1968, Branch transported King from Eutaw to Greensboro. King was in Greene County for a demonstration and was headed to Greensboro for a march for voting rights. That was the last time Branch saw King, who was assassinated by a sniper in Memphis, TN., three weeks later.
Branch guided the Rev. Thomas Gilmore who helped transform Greene County politics. At the same time Branch claimed his historic victory as Greene County probate judge, Gilmore was elected the county's first black sheriff.
During his 18 often-tumultuous years as probate judge, he oversaw the construction of a new courthouse that bears his name and the establishment of Greentrack.
Branch's efforts in Greene County and within the civil rights movement took him to the White House where he met every president from John F. Kennedy to Bill Clinton.
Branch was married to Alberta Carpenter Branch for almost 70 years. They had seven children and more than 30 grandchildren and great grandchildren.
A story of Branch's civil rights efforts was published in The Tuscaloosa News on January 16, 2005, and his obituary in the January 16, 2014, edition.
Source
Tuscaloosa News
Contributor
Betty Slowe (Description)
Type
Photograph
Identifier
1259