A Reintroduction of the Black Messiah

Rev. Dr. Earle Fisher (Special Guest)

A Movement and Ministerial leader and soul-stirring scholar at the vanguard of social  justice and Black liberation efforts in Memphis, TN, and beyond, Earle J. Fisher was born  September 26th, 1978, in Benton Harbor, Michigan to Min. Claudia Fisher and Mr. Earl Bradley.  He sojourned to Memphis, TN in the fall of 1999 on a basketball scholarship at LeMoyne-Owen  College. He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science in 2003 and a Master of  Divinity Degree in May 2008 from Memphis Theological Seminary. Rev. Fisher is ordained in  the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and Missionary Baptist Denominations. In 2018 Rev.  Fisher earned a Doctor of Philosophy Cleagemunication from the University of Memphis and  currently serves as Senior Pastor of Abyssinian Baptist Church in Memphis, affectionately  referred to as – the Blackest Church in Memphis and Shelby County.

As a community organizer, Pastor Earle co-organized the Memphis Grassroots  Organizations Coalition in August of 2015 in response to the brutal death of Darrius Stewart by a  Memphis Police Officer. Spearheading initiatives in criminal justice reform, media  accountability, the removal of confederate monuments, and voter empowerment, Dr. Fisher  formed #UPTheVote901 in 2017 to “give more political power to more people” and “increase  voter turnout in Memphis and Shelby County in every election” 

Professor Fisher teaches Religion and Humanities at several colleges and universities. He  is a 2021 inductee in the Martin Luther King Jr. College of Ministers and Laity Board of  Preachers at Morehouse College. Dr. Fisher is the author of the book, The (Re)Introduction of  The Black Messiah: Rev. Albert Cleage Jr., and the Black Prophetic Tradition (2021), and two  provocative essays, Brother Malcolm, Dr. King and Black Power (2020) and the groundbreaking Introducing Sermonic Militancy – A Call Towards More Revolutionary Homiletics and  Hermeneutics (2021).  

Dr. Fisher is a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha, husband of one wife, Denise, father of  one son, Jalen, believer in one God, and friend and mentor to many. 

 

Richelle Terese (Host)

Richelle is the NAACP New Jersey State Conference Communications, Press and Publicity Committee Chair. and a 2021 Environmental Leadership Program (ELP) Senior Fellow. She is committed to her work as a freelance marketer, assisting community organizations with communications, media, graphic design, community engagement, research, campaigns, and program planning/coordination. Richelle studied at Rutgers University majoring in Africana Studies (Black studies), History and Education.