James Reeb
| James Reeb | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
January 1, 1927 Wichita, Kansas, U.S. |
| Died | March 11, 1965 (aged 38) Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Murder |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater |
St. Olaf College Princeton Theological Seminary |
| Occupation | Unitarian Universalist minister |
| Known for | Civil rights activist |
| Spouse(s) | Marie Deason |
| Children | 4 |
James Reeb (January 1, 1927 – March 11, 1965) was an American Unitarian Universalist minister, pastor and civil rights activist in Washington, D.C. and Boston, Massachusetts. While participating in the Selma Voting Rights Movement actions in Selma, Alabama, in 1965, he was murdered by white segregationists, dying of head injuries in the hospital two days after being severely beaten.
Reeb was born on January 2, 1927 in Wichita, Kansas, to Mae (Fox) and Harry Reeb. He was raised in Kansas and Casper, Wyoming. He graduated from St. Olaf College and attended Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, New Jersey and ordained a Presbyterian minister after graduation.
As a scholar of theology, Reeb grew away from traditionalist Presbyterian teachings and was drawn to the Unitarian Universalist church. Reeb appreciated the church's emphasis on social action, and he became active in the civil rights movement during the 1960s.
Beginning in his new ministry, Reeb encouraged parishioners to participate in the movement as well. With his wife and four children, he lived in poor black neighborhoods where he felt he could do the most good. After three years of active service at All Souls Church in Washington, D.C., Reeb was fully ordained as a Unitarian Universalist minister in 1962. In 1964, he began as community relations director for the American Friends Service Committee's Boston Metropolitan Housing Program, focusing on desegregation.
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