Robert W. Spike

Robert Warren Spike (November 13, 1923 – October 17, 1966) was an American clergyman, theologian, and civil rights leader.

Spike was born in Buffalo, New York and educated at Denison University, Union Theological Seminary, Columbia University, and Colgate-Rochester Divinity School. He began his career as pastor at the mainline Protestant Judson Memorial Church on Washington Square in Greenwich Village in 1949, reviving the social activism of this famous urban church. During his tenure there neighborhood kids played basketball in the church’s ramshackle gym and an interracial, international residence for students was established. Spike also helped to create an art gallery where artists such as Claes Oldenburg, Allen Kaprow and Jim Dine could exhibit their, then unconventional, work.

In 1958 Spike left his parish ministry to take on a national role as General Secretary of the United Church Board For Homeland Ministries. In 1963 he was appointed the Executive Director of the National Council of Churches’ Commission on Religion and Race, which became an important arm of the Civil Rights Movement. Anna Arnold Hedgeman joined his staff there as a Coordinator of Special Events. Through Spike’s efforts Protestant churches participated significantly in the March on Washington in August 1963. Spike worked with Robert Parris Moses to set up the Freedom Summer project.

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