A Presbyterian heritage of courage and faith

Stillman College hosts Synod of Lakes and Prairies during its civil rights tour through the South

by Dr. Gordon A. Govens | Special to Presbyterian News Service

In October, a contingent from the Synod of Lakes and Prairies paid a civil rights visit to southern states, including a time at Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Contributed photo)

On October 19, a group of 14 — pilgrims, really — from the Synod of Lakes and Prairies arrived at Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. As part of their civil rights journey through Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee, they came to walk the grounds where history holds its breath, to witness a Presbyterian institution that bears the weight of the past with the dignity of the present and the promise of the future.

This visit began, in a way, with a conversation, a spark lit in July, when two members of the Stillman family, Jim Koon, a Board of Trustees member, and Dr. Gordon Govens, Executive Director of Faith-Based and Social Justice Initiatives and Associate Professor of History, co-taught a Synod School class titled, “Was It All Just An American Dream?” Together, they explored a moment in history—a time when the civil rights movement and landmark legislation cracked open the American Dream just wide enough for hope to slip through, when, for the first and only time, the racial wealth gap in America began to narrow.

As guests of Stillman, the visitors learned that Stillman College played a crucial role in building a system by which the American Dream could become possible. Its campus stands on land that once bore the weight of a plantation, but today, that same ground is where students, along with Presbyterian administrators and professors, became foot soldiers of change, challenging the status quo and leading the charge to integrate Tuscaloosa. The group experienced Stillman’s unique story —a story of courage, resilience, and African American students daring to claim the American Dream for themselves. Now, as part of their larger civil rights pilgrimage, the group from Lakes and Prairies had come to listen, to learn, and to take Stillman’s narrative back home, carrying it forward. After all, Stillman’s story isn’t just Alabama’s story; it’s a story that belongs to Presbyterians everywhere.

For the travelers, this journey was not only educational; it was a meaningful experience of building relationships and rediscovering Stillman College’s vital role in advancing civil rights in the South. The visitors were warmly welcomed to Stillman’s campus by President Yolanda Page and her staff. During their visit, the group had the privilege of being the first to view the inaugural installment of the Stillman College Civil Rights Photo Gallery — a project born from the collaboration of the college and the Tuscaloosa Sheriff’s Department. The gallery isn’t just about pictures on a wall; it is a powerful effort to reclaim Stillman’s story, a story that had been forgotten and is being rightfully resurrected. The collection of photographs and documents offers an intimate, unfiltered glimpse into the college’s role in the civil rights movement. Tuscaloosa County Sheriff Ron Abernathy and Chief Deputy Loyd Baker contributed rare materials, including surveillance photos and files that had been hidden for decades. These never-before-seen documents reveal how the Alabama Legislature and law enforcement agencies monitored civil rights leaders, including Stillman students and professors. Together, these artifacts make the gallery a significant and poignant addition to the wider civil rights narrative — a testament to the courage of those who fought for justice, launching from Stillman’s campus to the front lines of racial injustice across Tuscaloosa. The gallery will expand as more photos and documents are discovered.

Dr. Bill Chace and Dr. Jabaith Hall participate in a protest march around the Courthouse in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on April 23, 1964. (Contributed photo)

Dr. John Giggie, author of the recent book “Bloody Tuesday,” captures it plainly: “There would have been no successful civil rights movement in Tuscaloosa without Stillman College students and professors,” he stated, grounding a monumental struggle of students who gathered in classrooms and attended chapel services to achieve the promise of the American Dream. The Rev. T.Y. Rogers, chosen by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to lead the Tuscaloosa movement, understood this. He wove the marches and protests into the rhythm of Stillman’s days, timing demonstrations around classes and chapel so the students could stand for justice without sacrificing their education.

Over 400 Stillman students stood on the front lines, facing arrest, violence, and the constant threat of retribution. Stillman’s involvement in the civil rights movement is a story told in three parts: its role in desegregating the Tuscaloosa bus system, the historic events of Bloody Tuesday on June 9, 1964, and an earlier march on April 23, 1964. The Lakes and Prairies group witnessed the April 23 story through photographs showing more than 300 students and professors marching to the Tuscaloosa County Courthouse, which bore signs labeled “Colored” and “White” over water fountains and restrooms. (To view pictures of the exhibit, a bar code is below.)

King visited Tuscaloosa and Stillman College because he understood that a victory there would resonate far beyond state lines. Tuscaloosa wasn’t just any southern town — it was the national headquarters of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1950s and 1960s.

During the synod group’s almost two-and-one-half hour visit, Giggie, Govens, and Chief Deputy Loyd Baker told the story through their presentations and the vivid images. The message to the group was that Stillman College’s legacy in the civil rights movement is not merely a memory — it must be an ongoing story that Presbyterian communities are invited to adopt as their own. The visit was a step toward rekindling that legacy within the larger Presbyterian family, reaffirming PC(USA)’s commitment to racial justice and reconciliation. The Presbyterian roots of Stillman College make it a symbol of faith in action.

The Rev. Deb DeMeester, Director of Leadership Development for the Synod of Lakes and Prairies, expressed her thoughts on the visit: “Our participants were very moved by our visit — from the phenomenal hospitality, the wonderful meal, the opportunity to meet so many staff and learn about Stillman, as well as the collaboration between the community, sheriff, author, and college to create the Stillman College and Civil Rights Photo Gallery. What an important history to document. There is a story to be told here, and I look forward to seeing how it continues to unfold.”

As a community built on Presbyterian values of justice, service, and compassion, Stillman College holds a unique place in the history of the Presbyterian Church, and the trip highlighted the extent of its value to Presbyterian heritage. Founded in 1876 as a seminary for African American ministers, Stillman’s commitment to social justice has been an integral part of its identity since the beginning. Stillman continues to serve as a testament to the resilience, courage, and faith of the African American community, and remains a beacon of hope, education, and empowerment for nearly 150 years.

Stillman College receives support from the PC(USA) through generous gifts to the Christmas Joy Offering. By supporting Stillman, Presbyterian congregations contribute to a legacy of education, empowerment, and advocacy that honors the spirit of the Rev. Charles Stillman, its Presbyterian founder, and the Rev. William Sheppard, who exposed King Leopold’s atrocities against the Congo people during his mission there. The college stands as a testament to the transformative power of education and faith, and the Lakes and Prairies visit reminds everyone that Stillman College and its Presbyterian values is an essential part of the larger Presbyterian mission.

For more information on Stillman College, go here.