Howard Thurman Chronology

The following chronology lists Thurman’s appearances as a preacher and lecturer, his published books and articles, and some events in his life. It is compiled from Thurman’s correspondence, scrapbooks, and writings, and from secondary accounts of his engagements in newspapers. Unless otherwise noted, all of the locations are the sites of speaking engagements. Undated items appear before dated items within their designated year or month.

 

1920     1925     1930     1935     1940     1945     1950     1955
1960     1965    1970     1975

 

1842 or 1843

Nancy Ambrose, Thurman’s maternal grandmother, is born into slavery in Madison County, Florida, on a plantation owned by John C. McGhee. During Howard Thurman’s early years, Ambrose lives in her daughter’s home. Ambrose lives to the age of ninety-three.

1850

July
Saul Solomon Thurman, Howard Thurman’s father, is born in Florida.

1872

July
Thurman’s mother, Alice Ambrose, is born in Moseley Hall, Florida.

1897

April
Thurman’s sister, Henrietta, is born. 

Sept. 4
Katie Laura Kelley, Thurman’s first wife, is born in LaGrange, Georgia.

1899

Nov. 18 
Howard Washington Thurman is born in Florida, probably in West Palm Beach. The Thurman family soon returned to Daytona, where Thurman spent most of his childhood.

1903

Aug. 26 
Sue (Susie Elvie) Bailey, Thurman’s second wife, is born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.

1907

Saul Solomon Thurman, Howard Thurman’s father, dies of pneumonia.

1908

Aug. 5
Thurman’s, sister, Madaline Mae, is born in Daytona, Florida.

1909

Alice Ambrose Thurman, Thurman’s mother, marries her second husband, Alex Evans. He moves the family to Lake Helen, Florida, where Evans works in a sawmill.

1910

Alex Evans dies. The family moves back to Daytona by 1912.

1913

Thurman joins Mount Bethel Baptist Church in Daytona and is baptized in the Halifax River.

1914

Thurman completes the seventh grade.

1915–1916

Because there is no eighth grade for Black children in Daytona, Thurman studies independently with the principal of his elementary school, R. W. Howard, and passes his eighth-grade examination. He is the first in his community to do so.

1916

Fall 
Thurman enrolls in the Florida Baptist Academy in Jacksonville. He lives with a cousin in Jacksonville and does chores in exchange for room and board.

1917

Summer
Thurman’s sister, Henrietta, dies of typhoid fever in Daytona.

1918

May 19
Katie Laura Kelley graduates valedictorian from Spelman Seminary in the teachers professional course.  She begins work as an elementary school teacher in Birmingham, Alabama.

Summer          
The Florida Baptist Academy, which Thurman attends, moves to St. Augustine, Florida. It is renamed the Florida Normal and Industrial Institute.

Attends the Student Army Training Corps at Howard University in Washington, D.C.  He returns to St. Augustine, Florida, to teach skills to his high-school classmates.

1919

May 28
Graduates valedictorian from Florida Normal and Industrial Institute (formerly Florida Baptist Academy) and receives a tuition scholarship to Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia.

September
Enters Morehouse College.

December
Thurman’s “Sunrise,” a poetic narrative, is published in the Spelman-Morehouse literary journal, The Athenaeum.

1920

Spring
Serves as chaplain of the Pi-Gamma Literary Society.

May                            
Wins the Edgar Allan Poe short story contest at Morehouse and a cash prize of $40.
Receives a Morehouse scholarship for the first-ranked student in the freshman class.
Sue Bailey graduates from Spelman Seminary High School.

Summer 
Serves as supply pastor of his home church, Mount Bethel Baptist Church, while the pastor, Reverend Samuel Owen, is attending the University of Chicago.

Fall
Early in his sophomore year, Thurman is appointed Literary Editor of The Atheneaum, an honor usually given to seniors.

1921

May
Receives an academic scholarship for the second-ranked student in the sophomore class and wins the F. J. Paxon Prize for oratory and elocution.

1922

Jan. 2  
Delivers the address “Our Challenge” before the Pi-Gamma Literary Society’s emancipation celebration. The talk was later published.

May
Receives an academic scholarship for the first-ranked student in the junior class and is awarded the Willard Chamberlain Scripture Reading Prize.

Sue Bailey leaves Spelman College to attend Oberlin College in Ohio.

May–July
Lives with a cousin in Cleveland, Ohio. Works and studies philosophy on his own at the Seventy-ninth Street branch of the Cleveland Public Library to prepare for his summer classes at Columbia University.

July
Enters summer program at Columbia University in New York, taking two philosophy courses, “Reflective Thinking” and “Introduction to Philosophy,” and one government course, “American State Government.”

Drafts a proposal to John Hope for a college scholarship fund to assist Black men.

Fall
Joins the debating team at Morehouse, which is coached by Benjamin E. Mays.

Serves as president of the YMCA branch at Morehouse.

Becomes an assistant to Morehouse Dean Benjamin Brawley.

1923

March 21
Garrie Ward Moore, one of Thurman’s mentors at Morehouse, dies suddenly at the age of thirty-one. Thurman later co-authored a tribute to him in the senior yearbook.

May
Morehouse’s first senior yearbook, The Torch, is published. Thurman serves as editor and co-writes the senior class poem.

Awarded the Starks Prize (for best man of affairs).

May 30
Graduates Morehouse College as valedictorian and delivers the valedictory address at commencement.

Sept.
Enters Rochester Theological Seminary in Rochester, New York. George Cross, professor of systematic theology, becomes Thurman’s primary adviser.

Dec. 2
Delivers the address “Thinking Black” at First Baptist Church, Penfield, New York.

28 Dec.–Jan. 1
Serves as a delegate at the Ninth International Student Volunteer Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana.

1924

Feb. 9
Preaches at First Congregational Church, Perry Center, New York.

Feb. 17           
Delivers “The Faith of the American Negro” sermon, Dewey Avenue Union Church, Rochester, New York.

March 9
Preaches at First Congregational Church, Rochester, New York.

April
“College and Color,” Thurman’s first published work on religion and race, appears in The Student Challenge, the official organ of the Student Fellowship for Student Life Service.

Summer
Works on the ministerial staff of the First Baptist Church of Roanoke, Virginia, under the supervision of Reverend Arthur L. James. Works in the Sunday school and directs the Vacation Bible School program for 300 children between the ages of seven and twelve.

July
Publishes “The Sphere of the Church’s Responsibility in Social Reconstruction” in the Roanoke Church News.

Oct. 12
Preaches “Temptations of Jesus” at the Dewey Avenue Union Church, Rochester, New York.

Nov. 16 
Delivers prayer for the “Universal Day of Prayer for Students,” sponsored by the World Student Christian Federation, at Union Theological Seminary Chapel in New York City.

1925

Jan. 17 
Delivers the address “Creative Idealism” at Asbury Methodist Church, Rochester, New York.

Feb. 7
Delivers the address “Creative Idealism” at Conesus Community Church, Rochester, New York.

Feb. 11
Speaks at Brick Presbyterian Church, Rochester, New York.

March 29
Delivers the address “The Value of Silence” and preaches “The Faith of the American Negro” at First Baptist Church, Ithaca, New York.

April 5 
Preaches “The Gift of the American Negro” at First Baptist, Lockport, New York.

April 19
Delivers the address “The Faith of the American Negro” at the YWCA in Rochester, New York.

May
Publishes “The Perils of Immature Piety” in the Student Volunteer Movement Bulletin.

Summer
Joins the First Baptist Church of Roanoke after his church in Daytona, Florida denied him permission to be ordained by another church. Works at First Baptist as director of religious education and as pastor’s assistant.

Attends retreat in Pawling, New York for the national board of the YWCA. There he is introduced to the work of the South African writer Olive Schreiner.

Aug. 2
Ordained as Baptist minister in the First Baptist Church of Roanoke by Reverend Samuel Owen.

Sept. 10–13 
Attends general conference of the Fellowship of Reconciliation at Swarthmore College in Swathmore, Pennsylvania. The conference theme is “Peace or War in the Pacific.” Rufus Jones speaks at Sunday workshop “Utilizing Spiritual Resources.”

Oct. 4
Delivers the address “What Shall I Do with My Life?” at Delaware Street Baptist Church, Syracuse, New York.

Oct. 5
Preaches “The Widening Horizon” at the Syracuse University Chapel.

Oct. 21–23
Attends the twenty-first National Conference on Colored Work of the YMCA in Washington, D.C. and delivers the address “The Christian Emphases.”

Oct. 25
Preaches “Friendship” at South Baptist Church, Newark, New Jersey

Nov.
Becomes a member of the executive committee of the Student Volunteer Movement of America.
Becomes a member of the National Council of the Fellowship of Reconciliation.

Nov. 15
Delivers the address “Negro Spirituals” at First Baptist Church, Lockport, New York.

Winter
Invited to preach at Mount Zion Baptist Church in Oberlin, Ohio; later is invited to become pastor of the church.

December
Publishes “Negro Youth and the Washington Conference” in The Intercollegian.

1920     1925     1930     1935     1940     1945     1950     1955

1960    1965    1970     1975

1926

Jan. 24 
Delivers the address “Youth Movement in America” at Lake Avenue Baptist Church in Rochester, New York, as part of the Christian Endeavor meeting.

Feb. 14
Delivers the address “The Faith of the American Negro” at First Baptist Church in Evanston, Illinois, as part of the Young People’s community-service program “A Fine Arts Worship Service: For Racial Understanding.”

March 14
Delivers sermon and address at South Baptist Church, Newark, New Jersey.

Completes his bachelor of divinity thesis, “The Basis of Sex Morality: An Inquiry into the Attitude toward Premarital Sexual Morality among Various Peoples and an Analysis of Its True Basis.”

April 9–11 
Participant in, and featured speaker at, the second annual New York State Student Conference in Dansville, New York, sponsored by the Student Christian Association of New York. The conference theme is “A Unified Life,” and Thurman delivers the address “The Meaning of Faith.”

April 25
Delivers address at the High School Girls’ Conference at the Caledonia Avenue YMCA in Rochester, New York.

Sue Bailey, one of the earliest African Americans enrolled at Oberlin Conservatory, graduates with a bachelor of music.

May 18
Graduates from Rochester Theological Seminary in Rochester, New York.

June 11
Marries Katie Kelley one week following graduation from seminary in an early-morning ceremony at her home in LaGrange, Georgia.

June 13
Undertakes his first pastorate at Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Oberlin, Ohio.

Sept.
Enrolls in postgraduate studies at Oberlin Graduate School of Theology. Studies Old Testament with Kemper Fullerton and New Testament with Edward I. Bosworth.

Oct. 3
Delivers the sermon “Characteristic Christian Life Attitudes” at Iowa State Teachers College, Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Oct. 12–17
Attends Ohio Baptist General Association meeting at Third Baptist Church, Youngstown, Ohio.

Dec. 28–Jan. 1
Featured speaker at the National Student Conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Speaks on “Finding God” and leads discussion groups.

1927

“Finding God” is included in Religion on the Campus, edited by Francis P. Miller and published by Association Press.

Delivers the address “Christian, Who Calls Me Christian?” at YMCA meeting in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Feb. 23
Delivers chapel-program address at Iowa State Teachers College, Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Feb. 26
Delivers keynote address at the YWCA High School Girls Reserve Mid-Year Conference in Niagara Falls, New York.

March
Directs the Dunbar Forum at Oberlin High School in two plays, Siles Brown and Peter Stith, by recent Oberlin graduate Randolph Edwards.

Aug. 1–27
Conference leader and speaker at the third annual Summer Conference on International, Economic-Industrial and Family Relations and Educational Method at Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan.

Sept. 21
Delivers address at the fall dinner of the Men’s Club of Christ Methodist Episcopal Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Oct. 5
Daughter Olive Katherine Thurman is born.

Nov.
Publishes “Higher Education and Religion” in the Home Mission College Review.

Nov. 13 
Delivers the sermon “Barren or Fruitful?” at United Church (Congregational) in Oberlin, Ohio.

Nov. 27 
Delivers address at the YMCA Older Boys’ Conference, Western New York, in Olean, New York.

Dec. 2–4
Delivers the address “Christ, the Hope of the World,” and leads devotions, at the twenty-fifth annual Western New York State Student Volunteer Conference at Rochester Theological Seminary in Rochester, New York.

Dec. 4  
Delivers the address “Christian, Who Calls Me Christian?” at the Elizabeth Street YMCA in Rochester, New York.

Dec. 5   
Delivers address for the Saint Antoine, Detroit, Michigan YMCA evening event themed “What Shall We Do About the Race Situation?”

1928

Jan. 12
Delivers the address “The Meaning of Religion in the Modern World” at McKinley Memorial Presbyterian Church in Champaign, Illinois.

Jan. 13
Delivers the address “What Religion Has to Say to the Modern World” at the Wesley Foundation Inter-racial Commission dinner in Champaign, Illinois.

Delivers address at a joint meeting of the cabinets and commissions of the YMCA and YWCA in Champaign.

Delivers the address “Deep River” at the All-University Service at the University of Illinois in Champaign, sponsored by the YMCA and YWCA and university churches.

Jan. 14
Preaches at University Baptist Church, Champaign.
Delivers address for the Councils of Campus Churches at First Congregational Church in Champaign.

March 12        
Delivers sermon on Jeremiah 17 at Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York.

Spring
Receives fellowship from the National Council on Religion in Higher Education to study with Rufus Jones the following spring.
Accepts joint appointment to Morehouse and Spelman Colleges in Atlanta, to begin in the fall.
Resigns from his position as pastor at Mount Zion Baptist Church in Oberlin, Ohio.

May 16
Delivers address at the supper conference of the Inter-Racial Council and Liberal Club at Ohio State University in Columbus.

June 10–20
Participates in the Eagles Mere Student Conference in Eagles Mere, Pennsylvania, jointly sponsored by the YMCA and YWCA.

June 20–24
Featured speaker at the Ministers’ Conference of Hampton Institute, speaking on “The Problems of Youth.”

July
Teaches at the YMCA Chesapeake Summer School at Bordentown Training and Industrial School, Bordentown, New Jersey.

Fall
Moves to Atlanta, Georgia to accept a joint appointment to Morehouse and Spelman Colleges in philosophy and religion.

Sept. 5–10
Delivers sermons at the twenty-eighth annual session of the Women’s Convention (auxiliary to the National Baptist Convention) at Lampton Baptist Church, Louisville, Kentucky.

Oct.
Publishes “The Task of Negro Ministry” in The Southern Workman.

Oct. 15–19
Delivers five sermons on Negro spirituals at Spelman College, which are published in the fall in the Spelman Messenger.

Dec.   
“Peace Tactics and a Racial Minority” is published in The World Tomorrow. A slightly different version of the essay is published the following year as “‘Relaxation’ and Race Conflict” in Pacifism in the Modern World, edited by Devere Allen and published by Doubleday, Doran & Co.

1929

Jan. 14–18
Guest speaker for Religious Emphasis Week at Alabama State Normal School, Montgomery, Alabama.

Jan. 19
George Cross, Thurman’s primary mentor and Rochester Theological Seminary professor, dies.

Jan. 20
Delivers address at a mass meeting for residents of Montgomery, Alabama.
Delivers the address “What Jesus Means to Me” at Women’s College, Alabama State Normal School, in Montgomery.

Jan. 28
Invited to Tuskegee Institute to speak at the Christian Association dinner; meets George Washington Carver.

Feb. 1
Arrives at Haverford College in Haverford, Pennsylvania to study with Rufus Jones for the spring semester.

Spring
“The Significance of the Cross in Our Times,” a chapel talk at Spelman College, is published in the Spelman Messenger.

Delivers the address “Am I Getting an Education?” at chapel assembly at Bennett College for Women, Greensboro, North Carolina

April 14
Delivers sermon at First Baptist Church in Roanoke, Virginia.

April 28
Delivers sermon at Rankin Memorial Chapel, Howard University, Washington, D.C.

May 31–June 1
Returns to Atlanta to participate in the Spelman College commencement program.

June 15–22
Serves as conference leader at the YWCA Student Conference at Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove, California. The conference theme is “Toward an Understanding of Jesus.”

Aug. 25–Sept. 1
Leads sunset devotion entitled “Deeper Meanings in Life Experience” at the Hazen Conference of the National Council on Religion in Higher Education, in Lisle, New York.

Nov. 3
Preaches at the Wheat St. Baptist Church for the Atlanta YMCA Boys Conference.

1930

Jan. 19–24
Delivers five sermons at Howard University during Week of Prayer.

March 14–16
Attends conference of Georgia YMCA-YWCA branches (Colored branches) at Atlanta University. (Sue Bailey is one of the conference organizers.)

May 27
Gives baccalaureate address at Bethune-Cookman Institute, Daytona Beach, Florida.

May 30–June 6
Attends the Southeast YMCA (Colored) Annual Conference, Kings Mountain, North Carolina.

Oct. 26
Preaches “From Hour to Hour, Be Awake” at Fisk Memorial Chapel, Fisk University, Nashville, Tennessee. Delivers address at student forum with A. Philip Randolph.

Nov. 7–8
Delivers address at the eleventh annual YMCA State Inter-Racial Conference, Trinity Methodist Episcopal Service, Louisville, Kentucky.

Dec. 21
Katie Kelley Thurman dies.

1920     1925     1930     1935     1940     1945     1950     1955

1960     1965     1970    1975

1931

Jan. 1  
Delivers address at Bethune-Cookman College, Daytona, Florida, in celebration of the sixty-eighth anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. Mary McLeod Bethune serves as mistress of ceremonies.

Jan. 18–22
Featured speaker during Howard University’s Week of Prayer. Preaches at Howard University’s Rankin Chapel.

Feb. 22
Preaches at Fisk Memorial Chapel, Fisk University.

March 29–April 5
Leads YMCA Lenten Series at Saint Antoine Street branch, Detroit, Michigan:
“An Almighty Affection” (March 29)
“Jesus and Temptations” (March 30)
“Jesus and His Enemies” (March 31)
“Jesus and His Friends” (April 1)
“Jesus and Women” (April 2)
“Jesus and God” (April 3)
“The Power of the Resurrection” (April 5)

April 26
Delivers address at Brick Presbyterian Church, Rochester, New York.

Summer
Travels to London, Scotland, Paris, and Geneva for rest and renewal.

Nov. 11
Delivers the eulogy “And Ghosts Will Drive Us On” for good friend Juliette Derricotte, former YWCA secretary and dean of women at Fisk University. Derricotte, injured in a car accident, died on November 7 in Dalton, Georgia, after being denied medical treatment in a white hospital.

Nov. 14–15
Featured speaker at the Atlanta Student Conference, sponsored by the interracial student group, the Atlanta Intercollegiate Council. Delivers “Finding God in the Whole of Life” on Nov. 14 and  “I Am in Quest of God” on Nov. 15.

Dec. 4
Directs a production of Macbeth at Sale Hall, Morehouse College.

Dec. 26, 1931–Jan. 2, 1932
Serves as a leader at YMCA student conference at Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove, California.

1932

Jan. 2–21
Tours California and Arizona as guest speaker and preacher at various university, YMCA, and YWCA venues. Thurman’s speaking tour includes the University of Arizona at Tucson, and California stops at Santa Barbara; Mount Hollywood Congregational Church (Los Angeles); Twenty-eighth Street (Colored) YMCA (Los Angeles); Pasadena Presbyterian Church; Pomona College (Claremont); La Verne College; Scripps College (Claremont); University of Redlands; the University of California at Los Angeles; Long Beach; Stanford University; San Jose; San Francisco Theological Seminary; College of the Pacific (Stockton); the University of California at Berkeley; Berkeley YMCA; First Baptist Church, Berkeley; and Occidental College (Los Angeles).

Feb.
Gives address in Atlanta on “The Kind of Religion the Negro Needs in Times Like These,” an early version of “Good News for the Underprivileged.”

March 
Accepts appointment at Howard University, in Washington, D.C., as professor of Christian theology in the religion department and dean of Rankin Chapel.

May
Delivers commencement address at Morehouse College.

May 11
Addresses Atlanta branch of the National Alliance of Postal Employees at the First Congregational Church on the future of the Negro race in America.

June  
Delivers three lectures at YMCA-YWCA Colored Students Conference in Kings Mountain, North Carolina, including “The Deeper Meaning of Negro Spirituals” and “The Blind Man Stood on the Road and Cried.”

June 12
Marries Sue Bailey in Kings Mountain, North Carolina.

1933

Oct. 8
Daughter Anne Spencer Thurman is born.

1934

March–April
The National YMCA and YWCA International Committee, on behalf of the World Student Christian Federation, invites Thurman to be chairman of  the four-person Negro Delegation to India, Burma, and Ceylon.

May 16 
Sue Bailey Thurman is invited to join the delegation to India, Burma, and Ceylon.

1935

March             
Sue Bailey Thurman and seven-year-old Olive travel to Mexico for an extended stay as guests of the Mexican YWCA leadership.

April
Delivers two lectures at the Intercollegiate Missionary Conference at Gammon Theological Seminary in Atlanta, Georgia: “Can We Be Christians Today?” and “The Missionary Spirit and World Peace.”

May
Addresses the Organization of Teachers of Colored Children in the State of New Jersey, in Atlantic City.

Summer
Delivers “Good News for the Underprivileged” at the Annual Convocation Lecture on Preaching at Boston University. The address is printed in the summer 1935 issue of Religion and Life; and forms the basis of Jesus and the Disinherited, published in 1949.

Sept. 21
The four members of  the Negro Delegation on the Pilgrimage of Friendship to India, Burma, and Ceylon—Howard and Sue Thurman, and  Edward and Phenola Carroll—embark on the Ile de France from New York Harbor for Le Havre, France. Accompanying the delegation are Thurman’s sister Madaline and his children, Olive and Anne, who resided in Geneva, Switzerland for the duration of the tour.

Oct. 1
The members of the Negro Delegation leave Marseilles, France for the voyage to Colombo, Ceylon, making ports of call in Port Said, Egypt, and Djibouti, French Somaliland.

Oct. 21
The Negro Delegation arrives in Colombo for a three-week tour.

Nov. 7 
The Negro Delegation arrives in Pudokotah, their first stop in India.

Dec. 29, 1935–Jan. 9, 1936  
The Negro Delegation travels to Rangoon, Burma.

1920     1925     1930     1935     1940     1945     1950     1955

 1960     1965    1970     1975

1936

Jan. 16–17
The Negro Delegation meets with poet Rabindranath Tagore at his university in Shantiniketan, near Calcutta.

Feb. 7
The Negro Delegation tours the Khyber Pass, near Peshawar.

Feb. 21
Howard and Sue Thurman and Edward Carroll meet with Mahatma Gandhi in Bardoli, India.

March 8 
Their work completed, the members of the Negro Delegation embark from Colombo, Ceylon to return to Europe and the United States.

April
Howard and Sue Thurman return to the United States.

Thurman becomes only the third campus minister in the United States to be given the title of “dean of chapel.”

April 26–29
Delivers three talks at Olivet Baptist Church in Chicago: “The Experiences of a Christian Ambassador to India,” “Viewing the Occident and the Orient,” and “The Contributions of Religion to Better Race Relations.”

May 31
Gives commencement address at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Nov. 4–5
Speaks on Gandhi and on “Class Distinctions Among Negroes” in two chapel talks at Sale Hall Chapel at Morehouse College in Atlanta.

1937

Jan. 17
Delivers the address “Ultimate Basis of Self-Respect” for Interracial Vespers Service of the YWCA in Wilmington, Delaware.

Jan. 18
Speaker for Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance Installation Service at Plymouth Congregational Church in Washington, D.C.

Jan. 21–Feb. 6
Under the auspices of the Student Christian Movement of Canada, tours colleges in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

Feb. 11  
Delivers the address “Christianity and the Underprivileged” at Union Church in Berea, Kentucky, and at the University of Kentucky in Lexington.

March
Delivers a series of sermons titled “Jesus, the Man of Insight,” at Pennsylvania State University in University Park.

Suffers from exhaustion; contemplates a complete rest from all activity over the summer.

Poem “O God I Need Thee” is published in a pamphlet released by the Board of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.

Delivers four sermons on the topic of “The Kingdom of God in an Evil World” at the Saint Antoine Branch of the Detroit YMCA for Holy Week: “What is the Kingdom Like?,” “How May I Recognize the Kingdom?,” “How Much Does the Kingdom Cost?,” and “India’s Challenge to the Negro.”

April 16
Sue Bailey Thurman delivers a lecture and program, “The Beauties of Indian Civilization,” at the Fifteenth Street Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C.

April 18
Speaks about India during Vespers service at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts.

May 1
Delivers the address “What am I . . . A Child of God” for the Third District Teachers’ Association at Virginia Union University in Richmond, Virginia.

Aug. 8
Speaks at Alabama State Teachers College in Montgomery.

Sept. 12–17
Under the auspices of the Student Christian Movement of Canada, delivers six lectures titled “The Significance of Jesus” at Lake Couchiching, Ontario.

Nov. 26 
Delivers the address “How Religion Tends to Solve the Meaning of Life” to the J. F. G. Scholarship Club in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Dec. 4
Speaks to Laymen’s League of the Unitarian Society in Gardner, Massachusetts.

Dec. 10 
Delivers the address “The Significance of Jesus to the Disinherited” as the leader of Religious Emphasis Week at A & T College of North Carolina in Greensboro.

Dec. 13
Speaks at the eighty-seventh anniversary exercises of John Wesley A.M.E. Church in Washington, D.C.

Dec. 29
Delivers the address “Sources of Power for Christian Action” for the National Methodist Student Conference at Centenary M. E. Church, South, in St. Louis.

Dec. 30, 1937–Jan. 2, 1938
Delivers talks titled “Man and the World of Nature” and “Christian, Who Calls Me Christian?” at the National Assembly of Student Christian Associations, in Oxford, Ohio.

1938

Jan. 28
Speaks at discussion group addressing minority concerns at the South Parkway Branch of the YWCA in Chicago.

Jan. 30
Delivers the address “What Shall I Do with My Life?” at the University of Chicago.

April 28–30
Delivers the address “The Integration of the Ethical, Social, and Educational Program” at the fourth annual meeting of the National Association of Personnel Deans and Advisers of Men in Negro Educational Institutions at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Late May
Gives lecture titled “The Contribution of Baptist Church Schools to Negro Youth,” subsequently published in National Baptist Voice.

June 3
Delivers commencement address at Tennessee A & I State College in Nashville.

June 26
Delivers the sermon “Kingdom of God” at annual Northfield Young Women’s Conference in Northfield, Massachusetts.

Late June–Early July
Speaks at the twentieth International Convention on Christian Education of the Toledo Sunday School Association in Columbus, Ohio.

Aug. 15
Lectures at Religious Institute at Georgia State College in Savannah.

Oct. 16–21
Speaks at the annual conference of the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America at the University of Colorado in Denver.

Dec.
Delivers a series of Christmas sermons at the Colgate Rochester Divinity School in Rochester, New York: “The Singing of Angels,” “The Historical Quest,” and “The Hope of the Disinherited.”

1939

Jan. 8
Preaches at university chapel service held in the Strong Auditorium at the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York.

Jan. 9
Along with others in Washington, D.C., signs petition asking for refuge for German children.

Jan. 15
Preaches anniversary sermon at Mt. Olivet Baptist Church in Rochester, New York.

Jan. 22–24
Delivers the address “The Implications of the Christian Religion for Canadian Students” at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario.

Feb. 6
Delivers public lecture titled “The Religion of Jesus and the Disinherited” at Colgate Rochester Divinity School in Rochester, New York.

Feb. 13–16
Delivers four lectures titled “Mysticism and Social Change” during the annual convocation at Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis.

Feb. 26
Delivers the address “The Modern Implications of Religion” for the Campus Forum Series at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.

March 17, 24, and 31
Delivers public lectures on aspects of the “Christian message” at Colgate Rochester Divinity School in Rochester, New York.

March 29  
Speaks at Business Girls’ League at the Clarissa Street YWCA in Rochester, New York, at meeting sponsored by the Negro History, Art and Literature Group.

April 10–13                
Delivers a series of devotional lectures for the annual spring convention at Colgate Rochester Divinity School in Rochester, New York.

June 23–30
Speaks at ninth annual Young Women’s Conference at Russell Sage Chapel in East Northfield, Massachusetts.

Nov. 26
Delivers the address “The Two Things That Unite Us” for the young people’s meeting at Grace Methodist Church in Wilmington, Delaware.

Dec. 17
Delivers the address “The Quest for Peace” at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York.

1940

Jan. 18
Speaks at meeting of North Carolina Council of Churches at the First Presbyterian Church in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Feb. 4
Speaks at chapel service at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee.

Feb. 11
Speaks at Interracial Sunday service at the First Baptist Temple in Youngstown, Ohio.

March 5
Preaches the sermon “The Quest for Peace” at Lenten service at First Presbyterian Church in Binghamton, New York.

March 12
Speaks at Homewood Friends Meeting at the John Hopkins YMCA in Baltimore, Maryland.

April 11
Delivers the address “The Negro in the City” to the Chicago Roundtable of the National Conference of Christians and Jews. It is published in May under the title “A ‘Native Son’ Speaks.”

May 11
Delivers the address “Whither, Negro Youth?” at twenty-fifth Annual Conference of the Organization of Teachers of Colored Children in the State of New Jersey.

May 17
Speaker for first youth mass meeting sponsored by the Phalanx Fraternity of the William A. Hunton branch YMCA at the First Baptist Church in Roanoke, Virginia.

May 23
Delivers commencement address at Florida Normal and Industrial Institute in St. Augustine, Florida.

June 10
Delivers baccalaureate address for commencement exercises at Colby Junior College in New London, New Hampshire.

June 11
Delivers commencement address at Knoxville College in Knoxville, Tennessee.

July  
With Melvin Watson, Evelio Grillo, and Thomas Hawkins, attends Hubert Herring’s summer seminar in Mexico.

Aug. 12–25
Speaks at Central-Atlantic Conference of the United Christian Adult Movement in Massanetta Springs, Virginia.

Aug. 28
Delivers the address “The Faith by Which We Live” at Winona Lake Christian Assembly in Winona Lake, Indiana.

Dec. 14
Preaches at Vassar College, his tenth appearance since 1928.

1920     1925     1930     1935     1940     1945     1950     1955

 1960     1965    1970    1975

1941

Jan. 9–12
Delivers the address “Patterns of Living” during the religion symposium at Colby Junior College in New London, New Hampshire.

Jan. 16
Delivers the address “Christian Fellowship and Inspiration” for the Camden County Ministerial Association at the Broadway Methodist Church in Camden, New Jersey.

Jan. 19
Speaks to Interdenominational Ushers Union of the District of Columbia.

Feb. 9
Delivers the address “The Religion of Jesus and Our Modern Times” at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

Feb. 12
Delivers talk titled “Our Underlying Spiritual Unities” at the International Council of Religious Education at the Stevens Hotel in Chicago.

Feb. 14–16
Speaks at conference on Student Leadership in Colleges for Negroes at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Feb. 23
Preaches at Bryn Mawr College in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.

Feb. 28
Leads worship service at Rankin Chapel at the Conference on Theological Education and Labor, sponsored by the National Religion and Labor Foundation.

March 5
Speaks at civic Lenten program at the First Baptist Church in Fulton, New York.

March 5–6
Speaks at noontime civic Lenten service in the Mizpah Auditorium in Syracuse, New York.

March 9
Preaches at Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts.

March 23
Preaches at Olivet Baptist Church in Chicago.

April 10–13
Speaks at Holy Week services hosted by the St. Antoine Branch YMCA in Detroit, on the general theme “The Hours of Crisis.” Sermons are titled: “Father Forgive Them,” “Father into Thy Hands,” “My God, My God, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me?,” and “The Soundless Passion of a Single Mind.”

April 27
Preaches at Vesper services at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York.

June 27–July 6
Serves as discussion leader at the twelfth annual Institute of International Relations on “Democracy, Religion and World Change” at Bryn Mawr College in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.

Aug. 17-19
Speaks on “The Three Illusions of Professionalism” at annual meeting of the National Hospital Association in Chicago.

Oct. 31–Nov. 1
Serves as secretary-convener for annual meeting of the Fellowship of Religious Workers in Colleges and Universities for Negroes at Virginia Manual Labor School for Boys in Hanover, Virginia.

1942

Feb. 14
Speaks at seventy-fifth anniversary celebration for Morehouse College.

Feb. 27–28
Addresses conference on Teachers and Workers in Religion at Negro Colleges at Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina.

June 9–10
Delivers a series of talks titled “The Religion of the Disinherited” at Friends University in Wichita, Kansas.

July 5–15
Featured speaker at the Institute of International Relations at Whittier College in Whittier, California.

Oct. 10
Delivers the sermon “The Temptations of Jesus” at the afternoon Vespers service at Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Nov. 9–11
Delivers informal address, “Wartime and Post-war Race Relations,” at Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa.

Nov. 17 
Speaks to the annual meeting of the Washington Association of Congregational-Christian Churches at the First Congregational Church in Washington, D.C.

1943

Jan. 1
Speaks at community New Year’s service at a Presbyterian church in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Jan. 3
Delivers the address “He Is the Sign of Man’s Attack” for weekly Vespers hour in the Duke Auditorium at the North Carolina College for Negroes in Durham, North Carolina.

Feb. 7
Leads an interracial service at a white Presbyterian church in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Feb. 13
Delivers the address “The Sign for Man’s Attack” for Race Relations Day in Hendricks Chapel at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York.

Feb. 14
Preaches at Hendricks Chapel at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York and reads poetry to student group at university. In the evening, addresses an interracial group in Auburn, New York.

March
Delivers the address “Personal Religious Living” at Mt. Vernon Methodist Church in Washington, D.C.

March 22–26
Preaches at the Lafayette Theatre in Detroit.

March 28
Preaches at Penn State University in College Park, Pennsylvania.

April 14
Speaks at Lenten sacred concert for the American University College of Arts and Sciences in Washington, D.C.

June
Visits Amache Relocation Camp in Granada, Colorado.

June 27–July 17
Featured speaker at the Institute of International Relations at Mills College in Oakland, California; and at the Institute of International Relations at Whittier College in Whittier, California.

Sept. 11
Speaks at Vassar College Liberal Association and Vassar Community Church in Poughkeepsie, New York.

Sept. 12
Preaches at Vassar College Chapel in Poughkeepsie, New York.

Sept. 19
Preaches at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut.

Sept. 26
Preaches the sermon “A High Priest of Truth” at Hampton Institute in Hampton, Virginia.

Oct. 8
Speaks to National Service Board for Religious Objectors at Friends Meeting House in Washington, D.C.

Oct. 17
Preaches at Rankin Chapel at Howard University in Washington, D.C.

Oct. 21
Speaks at the Nineteenth Street Baptist Church in Washington, D.C.

Oct. 24
Speaks at Twilight Hours Service: Readings from the English Bible, at Rankin Chapel at Howard University in Washington, D.C.

Nov. 9–11
Offers three devotions at “The Minister and His Ministry Today,” at Howard University School of Religion Convocation in Washington, D.C.

Nov. 11–13
Speaks at a retreat of the Fellowship of Religious Workers at Negro Colleges, at Hanover College in Hanover, Indiana.

Nov. 21
Preaches at Wellesley College chapel service in Wellesley, Massachusetts.

Nov. 21–22
Speaks at the World Affairs Club and the chapel at Dana Hall School in Wellesley, Massachusetts.

Nov. 27
Speaks at Fellowship of Faiths Intercollegiate Conference held in the Abbey Memorial Chapel at Mt. Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts.

Dec. 5
Conducts the Living Madonna Service at Rankin Chapel at Howard University.

Dec. 12
Speaks at the conference “Youth’s Role in Furthering Minority Understanding” at Mt. Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts.

Dec. 26
Delivers the address “The  Quest For Fulfillment” to the Council of Churches and Christian Education of Maryland-Delaware at Eutaw Place Temple in Baltimore.

1944

“The White Problem” is included in The Society Kit: Discussion Topics and Program Suggestions for Young People, published by Westminster Press.

Jan.
The poem “The Great Incarnate Words” is published in motive.

Jan. 11
Speaks at the Federation of Churches Christian School in Washington, D.C.

Jan. 14–16
Speaks on “Brotherhood—Its Meaning Today” at Buck Hills Falls Co-ed Conference in Buck Hills Falls, Pennsylvania.

Jan. 16
Preaches the sermon “What Must I Believe?” at Howard University.

Jan. 18
Delivers “The Meaning of  Man’s Quest for Religion” at Howard University.

Jan. 20
Participates in Day of Prayer at Howard University.

Jan. 21
Speaks at Southwest-Belmont Branch YWCA in Philadelphia.

Jan. 27
Gives Founders Day address at Howard University.

Feb. 6 
Preaches at Rockefeller Memorial Chapel at the University of Chicago.

Feb. 13
Speaks at Race Relations Sunday at the Forest Street YMCA in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Feb. 20
Preaches at Bryn Mawr College in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.

Feb. 27
Preaches at Rankin Chapel at Howard University.

March 5
Preaches at the Baldwin School in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.

March 12
Preaches at North Carolina College for Negroes in Durham.

March 20–24
Participates in Lenten services at Second Baptist Church of Detroit.

April 2 
Preaches the sermon “Thy Kingdom Come on Earth” at the University of Wisconsin YMCA in Madison.

April 3–7  
Participates in Holy Week services of the Chicago Federation of Churches.

April 4
Preaches the sermon “Not By Bread Alone” at First AME Church in Gary, Indiana.

April 5
Speaks at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.

April 6
Delivers the address “Resources in Religion in Times of Stress” for the Social Work Division of the Chicago Federation of Churches.

April 14
Writes the song “A  Hymn To Youth” for the YMCA in New York City.

April 16
Preaches at Rankin Chapel at Howard University.

April 23
Preaches at Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts.

May 10
Speaks at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.

May 16–17
Delivers “Not By Bread Alone,” “My God, My God, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me?” and “Thou Shalt Not Tempt God” at the Rhode Island Baptist State Convention in Providence.

May 21
Leads his final chapel service as dean of chapel at Rankin Chapel at Howard University.

May 28
Delivers the baccalaureate sermon at Howard University.

May 29
Delivers the commencement address at Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina.

May 30
Testimonial dinner for Thurman, with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt in attendance, at the Universalist National Memorial Church in Washington, D.C.

June 3–4
Speaks on “Validity of Our Faith” at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York.

June 5
Delivers the commencement address “You Must Make a New City and a New Earth” at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri.

June 12–17
Speaks on “The Cosmic Guarantee in the Judeo-Christian Message” at the Howard University School of Religion Institute.

June 17
Delivers “Some Important Dilemmas of Jesus” at the Northfield League Girls Conference in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.

June 23
Speaks at the Northfield League Conference in New York City.

July 12
Arrives in San Francisco to serve as copastor at the Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples.

July 22
Speaks to the United Service Organizations (USO) in Oakland, California.

July 23 
Delivers “The Tragic Sense of Life,” his first  sermon at Fellowship Church.

Aug. 2
Delivers “The Coming Faith in Racial Brotherhood” at San Francisco State College.

Aug. 6
Preaches a sermon on the Commitment at Fellowship Church.

Aug. 13
Preaches a sermon on the Commitment at Fellowship Church.

Aug. 20
Preaches a sermon on the Commitment at Fellowship Church.

Aug. 27
Preaches a sermon on the Commitment at Fellowship Church.

Sept. 17
Speaks at Booker T. Washington Community Center in San Francisco.

Oct. 8
Participates in formal Service of Inauguration for the Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples, at the First Unitarian Church in San Francisco.

Oct. 24
Delivers “Prejudice as a Factor in Race Relations” to the San Francisco Junior League.

Nov. 24, 26
Speaks at the National Baptist Convention Congress at Second Baptist Church in Los Angeles.

Dec.
The Greatest of These is published by Eucalyptus Press.

Dec. 4–5
Seattle and Spokane, Washington

Dec. 6
Speaks at the World Order Conference in Portland, Oregon.

Dec. 24
Preaches the sermon “Christmas, 1944” at Fellowship  Church.

1945

Deep River: An Interpretation of Negro Spirituals is published by Eucalyptus Press.

Jan. 7
Preaches at Battell Chapel at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut and then at Connecticut College in New London.

Jan. 8
Speaks at Fellowship Church supper meeting in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.

Jan. 9–11
Visits Howard University.

Jan. 12
Speaks at the Emma Willard School in Troy, New York.

Jan. 13–14
Speaks at Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa.

Jan. 15–16
Speaks at Beloit College in Beloit, Wisconsin.

Jan. 17
Delivers two public lectures concerning “Devotional Life” at the Bonebrake Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio.

Jan. 18
Speaks at Denison University in Granville, Ohio.

Jan. 20
Attends the Northfield League Faculty Conference at St. George’s Episcopal Church in New York City.

Jan. 21
Preaches at Vassar College Chapel.

Jan. 22
The Masters School, Dobbs Ferry, New York

Jan. 24
Bucknell University

Jan. 28
Delivers “Apostles of Sensitiveness” at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts.
Speaks at the Church of Christ at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut.

Feb.
The article “Interracial Church in San Francisco” is published in Social Action.

Feb. 1
Speaks at McCollister Hall in Detroit.

Feb. 11
Preaches the sermon “Apostles of Sensitiveness” at Fellowship Church.

Feb. 18
Gives Negro History Week Address for the San Francisco chapter of the NAACP.

Feb.–April
Teaches course entitled “Mysticism and Ethics” at Berkeley Baptist Divinity School in Berkeley, California.

Spring
“The Fellowship Church of All Peoples” is published in Common Ground.
Delivers the address “The Cultural and Spiritual Prospect for a Nation Emerging from Total War”  (Fellowship Church?)

April 1
Preaches the sermon “Sources of Strength for  Christian Action: Jesus Christ” at Fellowship Church.

 April 3
All Saints Episcopal Church, Carmel, California

April 15
Preaches “In Memoriam,” about Franklin Delano Roosevelt, at Fellowship Church.

May 6
Preaches the sermon “The Quest for Peace” at Fellowship Church.
Delivers “The Inner Life and World-Mindedness” at the University of California in Berkeley.

May 6–11
Gives three talks at the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California: “The Inner Life and World-Mindedness,” “What Shall I Do With My Life?” and “Apostles of Sensitiveness.”

May 7
First Methodist Church, Palo Alto, California

May 8
“What Shall  I Do With My Life?” University of California, Berkeley

May 14–18 
Portland, Oregon

May 20
Preaches the sermon “The Universality of the Prophets” at Fellowship Church.

May 22
“The Test of the Democratic Dogma,” Stanford University, Stanford, California

June 3
Yosemite National Park Church, Yosemite Village, California

June 7
Quadrennial Meeting, Guild of the Evangelical and Reformed Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

June 10
Preaches “The Vignettes of  Life” at Fellowship Church.

June 12–15
Northfield Conference for Girls, Pendle Hill, Pennsylvania

June 15
Euclid Avenue Baptist Church, Cleveland

June 16–18
In Washington, D.C., primarily to visit dentist.

June 18–22
Visits mother, Alice Sams, in Daytona Beach, Florida.

July 6
University of Iowa Chapel, Iowa City

July 15
Preaches at Fellowship Church.

July 29
Preaches “Vengeance is Mine” at Fellowship Church.

Aug. 12
Preaches “De Blin’ Man  Stood on de Road an’ Cried” at Fellowship Church.

Aug. 19
Preaches “Everybody Talking ‘Bout Heaven Ain’t Going There”  at Fellowship Church.

Aug. 22–23
Leads retreat at Belden Civilian Public Service Camp in Belden, California.

Aug. 26
Preaches the sermon “There is a Balm in Gilead” at Fellowship Church.

Aug. 27
Young Adults Conference, Christian Churches of Southern California, Idyllwild Pines

Sept. 2
Preaches the sermon “Deep River” at Fellowship Church.

Sept. 9
Mount Hollywood Congregational Church, Los Angeles
Los Angeles Sunday Evening Club (radio broadcast)

Sept. 24
“The Test of the Democratic  Dogma,” Sacramento, California

Autumn
“The Inner Life and World-Mindedness” is included in Christian Leadership in a World Society, published by Colgate-Rochester Divinity School.

Sept. 30
Preaches the sermon “What is Man?” at Fellowship Church.

Oct. 7
Preaches the sermon “The Fellowship of His Suffering” at Fellowship Church.

Oct. 18
“The Quest for Fulfillment,” YMCA, San Jose, California

Oct. 21
Preaches the sermon “Jesus and Reconciliation” at Fellowship Church.

Oct. 22–24
Oregon State College, Corvallis

Nov. 1
Council for Civic Unity, Vallejo, California

Nov. 2
Planning Conference, World Student Service Fund, Oakland, California

Nov. 4
Preaches the sermon “The Love Ethic and Social Change I” at Fellowship Church.

Nov. 6
Preaches “Role of Religion in a New World Order”  at First Congregational Church in Los Angeles.

Nov. 9–10
Pacific Coast Theological Group, San Francisco

Nov. 18(?)
Preaches the sermon “The Love Ethic and Social Change II” at Fellowship Church.

Nov. 24–26
Western Baptist State Convention Young People’s Sunday School and Baptist Training Union Congress, Oakland, California

Dec. 2 
Preaches the sermon “Concerning Being Alive I” at Fellowship Church.

Dec. 9
Preaches the sermon “Concerning Being Alive II” at Fellowship Church.

Dec. 16
Preaches the sermon “Concerning Being Alive III” at Fellowship Church.

Dec. 30
Preaches the sermon “Concerning Being Alive IV” at Fellowship Church.

1920     1925     1930     1935    1940     1945     1950     1955

1960     1965    1970    1975

1946

“God and the Race Question” is included in Together, edited by Rufus M. Jones, published by Abingdon-Cokesbury.

“The Fascist Masquerade” is included in The Church and Organized Movements, edited by Randolph Crump Miller, published by Harper.

Jan. 5–7
Speaks at chapel service at Vassar College and visits with daughter Olive, a student at the college.

Jan. 12
Conference on Future of the Church, Chicago

Jan. 13
Rockefeller Memorial Chapel, University of Chicago
“Deep River,” Chicago Sunday Evening  Club  (radio broadcast)

Jan. 14
Beloit College, Beloit, Wisconsin

Jan. 18–20
Howard University, Washington, D.C.

Jan. 21
“Deep River,” Denison University, Granville, Ohio
“The Test of the Democratic Dogma,” Monday Club, Newark, Ohio

Jan. 23  
Emma Willard School, Troy, New York

Jan. 24
Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts

Jan. 25–26
Dana Hall School, Wellesley, Massachusetts

Jan. 27
Yale University Chapel, New Haven, Connecticut
Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut

Feb. 1
Springside School, Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania

Feb. 3
Unitarian Church of Germantown, Pennsylvania

Feb. 10
St. Paul’s Church, Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania
Preaches “Apostles of Sensitiveness” for the Interracial Fellowship of Greater New York at The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine.

March 14
American Women’s Volunteer Services, San  Francisco

March 29
Oregon State Teachers Association, Portland

April 4
First Methodist Church of Richmond, California

April 10
San Jose High School and San Jose Lions Club, San Jose, California

April 14–19
“The Five Great Dilemmas of Jesus” (Holy Week Services), Council of Churches, Portland, Oregon
1)  “The Dilemma  of the Solitary Place”
2)  “The Dilemma of the Crossroads”
3)  “The Dilemma of Authority”
4)  “The Dilemma of the Garden”
5)  “Why Hast God Forsaken Me?”

April 26 
Fresno Conference of Christians and Jews, and Fresno Church Council, Fresno State College, Fresno, California

May 1
Phi Beta Kappa Lecture, Mills College, Oakland, California

May 3–4
“The Fascist Masquerade,” Pacific Coast Theological Group, San Francisco (presentation of paper)

May 7–8
Interracial Clinic, San Diego Council of Churches

May 18
Speaks at Congregation Emanu-El in San Francisco.

May 23–24, 27–28
Religious Emphasis Week, College of the Pacific, Stockton, California:
“The Quest for Fulfillment”
“The Apostles of Sensitiveness”

“The Dilemma of  Jesus” (Vespers Series)
1)  “The Dilemma in the Wilderness”
2)  “The Dilemma of the Crossroads”
3)  “The Dilemma of Authority”
4)  “The Dilemma of the Cross”

June 11–Aug 11  
Teaches the course “Mysticism and Ethics” while a visiting professor of religion at the University of  Iowa in Iowa City.

June 23 
Delivers baccalaureate sermon at Wesleyan University in Middletown Connecticut and is awarded honorary doctor of divinity degree.

June 26
Women’s Society of Christian Service of the Upper Iowa Conference of the Methodist Church, Cornell College, Mt. Vernon, Iowa

June 30
Church of All Peoples, Detroit

July 14
First Methodist Church, Iowa City, Iowa

July 17
Delivers “The Fascist Masquerade” at the University of Iowa Student Union.

July 28
First Methodist Church, Iowa City, Iowa

Oct. 18
Church of the Brethren District Conference, Fresno, California

Late October
Board Meeting of National Conference of Christians and Jews, New York City

Nov. 12
Luther League of Northern California, San Francisco

Nov. 15
Council of Presbyterian Women, Napa, California

Nov. 28
United Thanksgiving Service, Hayward, California

1947

The Negro Spirituals Speak of Life and Death is published by Harper.
Meditations for Apostles of Sensitiveness is published by Eucalyptus Press.
The Church for the Fellowship of  All Peoples (pamphlet) contains Thurman’s “The Historical Perspective.”

Jan. 12
Mt. Hollywood Congregational Church, Los Angeles

Jan. 14–17
Speaks at the YMCA convention at Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove, California.

Jan. 18
Congregation Emanu-El, San Francisco

Jan. 26
Fisk Memorial Chapel, Nashville, Tennessee

Jan. 30
Fellowship Church membership meeting, Washington, D.C.

Feb. 1
All-Day Retreat, Northfield League, Boston

Feb. 2
Northfield School for Girls, East Northfield, Massachusetts

Feb. 4
Springside School

Feb. 5
“The Religion of Jesus and the Disinherited,” Religious Forum Lecture, Lawrenceville School, Lawrenceville, New Jersey

Feb. 9
Germantown Interracial Forum, Pennsylvania
Unitarian Church of Germantown
The Masters School, Dobbs Ferry, New York

Feb. 10
Fellowship Church Supper, Church of the Reformation, Rochester, New York

Feb. 12
Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania

Feb. 14
Germantown Friends School, Pennsylvania

Feb. 16
Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts
Mt. Holyoke College, South Hadley, Massachusetts

Feb. 17
Choate School, Wallingford, Connecticut

Feb. 18
Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts

Feb. 19
Lenten Service, Nashua, New Hampshire
First Presbyterian Church, Manchester, New Hampshire

Feb. 23–26
Annual Religious Lectures, Wellesley College and Dana Hall School

March 2
Battell Chapel, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut

March 5
“The Light That is Darkness,” Council of Churches Lenten Service, Jackson, Michigan

March 6
Lawrence College, Appleton, Wisconsin

March 9
Rockefeller Memorial Chapel, University of Chicago
“Concerning Love and Hatred,” Chicago Sunday Evening Club, (radio broadcast)

March 11
Emma Willard School, Troy, New York

March 12
Lutheran Church of the Atonement, Syracuse, New York
West Genessee Methodist Church, Syracuse, New York

March 16
Preaches at Fellowship Church.

March 20
Girl Scouts Leaders Banquet, Berkeley, California

March 26
“The Message of Olive Schreiner,” Book Day, Mills College, Oakland, California

April 13
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Philadelphia

April 14
“The Negro Spiritual Speaks of Life and Death” (Ingersoll Lecture on Immortality), Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts

April 16
“Reflections Concerning the Democratic Dogma,” YMCA, St. Louis

May 16
“The Negro Spiritual Speaks of Life and Death,” Congregation Emanu-El, San Francisco

June 13
“The Genius of Democracy,” The Commonwealth Club,  San Francisco

June 20
“The Religion of  Jesus and the Disinherited,” National Sunday School and Baptist Training Union Congress, Oakland, California

June 21
Officiating clergyman at commencement exercises, University of California, Berkeley

June 25
California Youth Workshop, Mills College, Oakland

July 17–18
Northern California Japanese Young People’s  Christian Conference, Zephyr Point, Lake Tahoe, Nevada

July 20
First Methodist Church, Pasadena, California

Aug. 1
“The  Religion of Jesus and the Disinherited,” School of Religion, University of Iowa

Aug. 3
“The Religion of Jesus and the Disinherited,” Central Methodist Church, Detroit

Sept. 28
“Eulogy: Jessie Wickwire Overholt,” The Church of All Peoples, Cleveland, Ohio

Oct. 5
First Congregational Church, Berkeley, California

Oct. 9
Council for Civic Unity, Wayfarer Church,  Carmel, California

Nov. 2–5
Religious Emphasis Week, Oregon State College, Corvallis

Nov. 5–7
State College of Washington, Pullman

Nov. 13–14
National Council of Negro Women, Washington, D.C.

Nov. 16
“The Tabernacle of  God,” St. Paul’s Methodist Church, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

1948

“Judgment and Hope in the Christian Message,” in The Christian Way in Race Relations (Harper)

Jan. 4
“Standing on Tip Toe,” Fellowship Church

Jan. 5–6
“The Quest for Peace” and “The Tabernacle of God,” American Friends Service Committee, Southern  California Branch, Los Angeles

Jan. 18
“The Good Man—The Dilemma of  Human Suffering,” Fellowship Church
Katharine Branson School, Ross, California

Jan. 25
“Man and the Moral Struggle: Saint and Sinner,” Fellowship Church

Jan. 28
Council of Civic Unity Luncheon, San Francisco

Jan. 30
“The Ultimate Basis of  Self-Respect,” Congregation Emanu-El,  San Francisco

Feb. 1
Delivers “Mahatma Gandhi: Eulogy” at Fellowship Church.

Feb.–May
“Men Who  Walked With God,” biweekly radio broadcasts, WSUI,  Iowa City

Feb. 6–June 5
Teaches the courses “Religion in Human Culture” and “Men Who Walked with God” at the University of Iowa’s School of Religion in Iowa City.

Feb. 8
“The Ultimate Basis of Self-Respect,” Unitarian Church of Germantown
Fellowship House, Philadelphia
“What Shall I Do with My Life,” Bryn Mawr College

Feb. 9
Denison University, Granville, Ohio

Feb. 15
Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts

Feb. 19
St. Paul’s Methodist Church,  Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Feb. 21
Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania

Feb. 22
Northfield School for Girls, East Northfield, Massachusetts

Feb. 29
Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts
Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, Massachusetts

March 7
Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut
Choate School, Wallingford, Connecticut
Dana Hall School, Wellesley, Massachusetts

March 9
Men’s Club, Cedar Rapids YMCA, Iowa

March 14
Emma Willard School, Troy, New York
Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York

March 28
Delivers the sermon “Easter Sermon” at Fellowship Church.

April 11–16
“The Religion of Jesus and the Disinherited,” Mary L. Smith Memorial Lectures, at Samuel Huston College in Austin, Texas
1)  “Jesus’ Technique of Survival”
2)  “The Fear of God—The Fear of Man, Which?”
3)  “Let Your Words be ‘Yes’ or ‘No’”
4)  “I Hate Them With Perfect Hatred”
5)  “’Tis Love That Makes the World Go’ Round”

April 25–26
Cornell College, Mount Vernon, Iowa

April 25
Fellowship Church, Columbus, Ohio

May 2
The Baldwin School, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
Rankin Chapel, Howard University, Washington, D.C.

May 9
Church of the Good Shepherd, Chicago

May 23
Delivers baccalaureate sermon at State College for Negroes in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.

May 30
Delivers baccalaureate sermon at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee.

June 18
Congregation Emanu-El, San Francisco

Aug. 11
National Baptist Convention Annual Meeting, North Oakland Baptist Church, California

Aug. 22
Preaches “The Grace of God” at Fellowship Church.

Aug. 29
Preaches “Jacob’s Ladder” at Fellowship Church.

Sept. 5
United Christian Youth Movement, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Sept. 8–10
“The Religion of Jesus and the Disinherited,” General Council, United Church of Canada, Vancouver

Oct. 3
Preaches “Modern Challenges to Religion: Secular Radicalism” at Fellowship Church.

Oct. 17
Preaches “Materialism” at Fellowship Church.

Nov. 15–18
“Not by Bread Alone,” “Life’s Great Illusions,” and “The Kingdom versus The Kingdom,” United Council of Churchwomen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Nov. 18
Lawrence College, Appleton, Wisconsin

Nov. 21                   
Unitarian Church of  Germantown
Fellowship House, Philadelphia
Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania

Nov. 28
Preaches “The Tragic Sense of Life” at Fellowship Church.

1949

“God, I Need Thee” (sheet music published by Galaxy Press)
“The Religion of Jesus and the Disinherited” is included in In Defense of Democracy, edited by Thomas Herbert Johnson and published by Putnam.

Jan.
“Love Your Enemies” is published in The Growing Edge.

Jan. 2
Delivers the sermon “He Looked for a City” at Fellowship Church.

Jan. 9
Speaks at the Katharine Branson School in Ross, California.

Jan. 23–24
Speaks at the Emma Willard School in Troy, New York.

Feb.
“The Growing Edge” is published in The Growing Edge.

Feb. 6
Delivers the sermon “The Quest For  Stability I” at Fellowship Church.

Feb. 13
Delivers the sermon “The Quest for Stability II” at Fellowship Church.

Feb. 15–16
Spoke to the United Church of Canada in Toronto.

Feb. 20
Delivers the sermon “The Quest for Stability III”  at Fellowship Church.

Feb. 27
Delivers the sermon “Skin of Our Teeth” at Fellowship Church.

March 5
Spoke at Congregation Emanu-El in San Francisco.

March 7–12               
Delivers the sermon “The Quest for Stability” at the National YWCA Convention in San Francisco.

March 14
McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago

March 16
Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio

March 17
Earlham College, Richmond, Indiana

March 18
Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo, Michigan

March 20
The Masters School, Dobbs Ferry, New York

March 22
Princeton University Chapel, Princeton, New Jersey
Haverford College, Haverford, Pennsylvania

April
“The Quest for Stability” is published in The Woman’s Press.
Jesus and the Disinherited is published by Abingdon-Cokesbury Press.

April 3
Delivers the sermon “Your Life’s Working Papers I” at Fellowship Church.

April 10
Delivers the sermon “Jesus I: Your Life’s Working Papers II” at Fellowship Church.

April 17
Delivers the sermon “Jesus II: Your Life’s Working Papers III” at Fellowship Church.

April 24
Delivers the sermon “Your Life’s Working Papers—Evil I” at Fellowship Church.

April 29
Delivers the address “Better Co-operation Through Inter-Faith Understanding” at the Western Young Buddhist League Convention in San Francisco.

May
Narrator of “Le Roi David,” (composed by Arthur Honneger), performed by the San Francisco Symphony at the War Memorial Opera House.

May 6
Gives address to the Chicago Sunday Evening Club (radio broadcast).

May 22
Delivers the sermon “Your Life’s Working Papers VIII: The Inner Life” at Fellowship Church.

May 27
Speaks at San Jose State College in San Jose, California.

May 29
Delivers the sermon “The Light That is Darkness” at Fellowship Church.

June 12–13
Gives baccalaureate address at Wellesley College in Wellesley, Massachusetts.

June
Visits Alice Sams, Thurman’s mother (who is ailing), in Daytona Beach, Florida.

June 15
Speaks at Northfield Prep Conference in East Northfield, Massachusetts.

July 17
Delivers the sermon “Man and the Moral Struggle: Albert Schweitzer, Spiritual Genius” at Fellowship Church.

Aug. 3–10
Speaks at Christian Training Camp of the Leadership Training School at the United Church of Canada’s Naramata Centre in Naramata, British Columbia.

Sept.
Fellowship Church of All Peoples delegation participates in UNESCO Conference in Paris, France. (Thurman does not accompany delegation.)

Sept. 25
Delivers the sermon “Man and the Moral Struggle: The Prophet of Deutero-Isaiah” at Fellowship Church.

Oct. 2
Delivers the sermon “Man and the Moral Struggle II: Jesus” at Fellowship Church.

Oct. 9
Delivers the sermon “Man and the Moral Struggle III: Paul” at Fellowship Church.

Oct. 16
Delivers the sermon “Man and the Moral Struggle IV: Job” at Fellowship Church.

Oct. 30
Delivers the sermon “Man and the Moral Struggle VI: Prometheus” at Fellowship Church.

Nov. 6
Delivers the sermon “Man and the Moral Struggle VII: Goethe’s Faust” at Fellowship Church.

Nov. 19–20
Delivers the sermon “The Undying Fire” in Victoria, British Columbia.
Delivers the sermon “Job and the Moral Struggle” at Canadian Memorial Church in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Nov. 27
Delivers the sermon “Man and the Moral Struggle VIII: St. Joan” at  Fellowship Church.

Nov. 28–Dec. 1
Delivers the following addresses to the Campus Religious Council at Oregon State College in Corvallis:
“The Religious Basis of Democracy,” “The Dilemma of the Liberal,” and “The Quest for Stability”

Dec.
The article “I Will Light Three Candles” is published in Parents Magazine.

Dec. 11
Delivers the sermon “Man and the Moral Struggle IX: Tolstoy—The Power of  Darkness” at Fellowship Church.

Dec. 18
Delivers the sermon “Man and the Moral Struggle X: The Great Hunger” at Fellowship Church.

Dec. 26–Jan. 1
Speaks at the National Intercollegiate Christian Council Conference at Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove, California.

1950

Feb. 12
Race Relations Sunday, Houston

Feb. 13
Texas State University, Houston

Feb. 19 
Speaks at the Sunday Evening Forum in Tucson, Arizona (radio broadcast).

March 3 
Garrison Forest School, Garrison, Maryland

March 5 
Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York

March 6–8
Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut

March 9–10 
Delivers “What Price Deception?” and “Perfect Hatred” at Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

March 12 
Rockefeller Memorial Chapel, University of Chicago

March 13–17
Lenten Services, Detroit Council of  Churches

March 19
Fellowship House, Philadelphia
Unitarian Church of Germantown; Germantown, Pennsylvania

April 2 
Delivers the sermon “The Unfolding Drama” at Fellowship Church.

April 5
California Elementary School Administrators Association, Hollywood High School, Los Angeles

April 16
Delivers the sermon “The Religion of the Inner Life: Men Who Walked With God I” at Fellowship Church.

April 23
Delivers the sermon “The Religion of the Inner Life: Men Who Walked With God II” at Fellowship Church.

April 25
Delivers “The Growing Edge” at Jefferson School in San Diego.

April 30
Delivers the sermon “Lao Tse: Men Who Walked With God III” at Fellowship Church.

May 7  
Death of Alice Sams, Thurman’s mother, in San Francisco.

June 6
Delivers the commencement address “Your Life’s Working Paper” at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia.

July 2
Delivers the sermon “Jacob Boehme: Men Who Walked With God” at Fellowship Church.

July 16
Mt. Hollywood Congregational Church, Los Angeles

Oct. 1
Delivers the sermon “Men Who Walked With God: Gandhi” at Fellowship Church.

Oct. 15
Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts

Oct. 19–22
Delivers “The  Scrutiny of  God,” “The Presence of  God,” The Power of God,” and “The Love of God” at the National Preparatory School Committee Conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Oct. 22 
Wesleyan University Chapel

Oct. 23 
King’s Chapel, Boston
Dana Hall School, Wellesley, Massachusetts

Oct. 24–25 
The Memorial Church, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Oct. 26
Choate School, Wallingford, Connecticut

Oct. 28
McGill YWCA, Chicago
Friends of  Fellowship Church, Chicago
Delivers the address “Teach Us to Pray” at the Chicago Sunday Evening Club (radio broadcast).

Oct. 30
Delivers “Religion and Social Change” at Public Affairs Forum  at YMCA in St. Louis, Missouri.

Nov. 5
Preaches at the Masters School in Dobbs Ferry, New York.

Nov. 13
Speaks at St. Agnes School in Alexandria, Virginia.

Nov. 14–16
Delivers “The Power of the Spirit and the Powers of This World” at the Annual Convocation of Howard University School of Religion in Washington, D.C.

Dec.
The article “‘Our Father’ and My Brother”  is published in Adult Student, a publication of the Methodist Church, USA.

Dec. 3 
Delivers the sermon “Fruits of the Spirit I: Love” at Fellowship Church.

Dec. 31  
Delivers the sermon “Fruits of the Spirit V: Goodness” at Fellowship Church.

1920     1925     1930     1935     1940     1945     1950     1955

1960     1965     1970     1975

1951

Deep is the Hunger: Meditations for Apostles of Sensitiveness is published by Harper.

Jan. 14                        
Speaks at Stanford University Memorial Church in Stanford, California.

Jan. 15
Delivers “What Leadership Does for the Leader” at the Leadership Institute of the Community Welfare Council in San Jose, California.

Jan. 19
Speaks at Congregation Beth Shalom in San Francisco.

Jan. 21
Delivers the sermon “Fruits of the Spirit—Long Suffering” at Fellowship Church.

Jan. 28
Delivers the sermon “The Meaning of Commitment #1—Spiritual Awareness” at Fellowship Church.

Feb. 4
Delivers the sermon “The Meaning of Commitment #2—Sons of God” at Fellowship Church.

Feb. 11
Delivers the sermon “The Meaning of Commitment #3—A Vital Experience of God” at Fellowship Church.

Feb. 14–15
YWCA, Long Beach, California

Feb. 15
“RCA and the Negro National Community,” NBC Studios, Burbank, California (roundtable radio discussion)

Feb. 16
Gives the convocation address for Negro History Week at the University of California in Los Angeles.

Feb. 18
“The Tabernacle of God,” Sunday Evening Forum, Tucson, Arizona (radio broadcast)

Feb. 23
Speaks at shabbat service at Congregation Emanu-El in San Francisco.

March 4
Delivers “The Meaning of Commitment—Ethical Awareness” at Fellowship Church.

March 12–16
Delivers public lectures for Religion in Life Institute at the First Methodist and First Presbyterian Churches in Portland, Oregon.

March 16
Delivers “The Quest for Peace” at the City Club of Portland in Portland, Oregon.

March 25
Delivers the sermon “The Triumph of  Personality” on Easter Sunday at Fellowship Church.

March 26
Delivers “Democracy at the Crossroads” to the Big Ten Alumni Association in San Francisco.

April 1
Delivers the sermon “The Meaning of Commitment #4—The Bond that Unites” at Fellowship Church.

April 2
Delivers “Faith in God” at San Jose State College in San Jose, California.

April 8
Delivers the sermon “The Meaning of Commitment #5—The Strength of Corporate Worship” at Fellowship Church.

April 16
Speaks at Dana Hall School in Wellesley, Massachusetts.

April 17
Speaks at Union Theological Seminary in New York City.
Attends Fellowship Church dinner at Riverside Church in New York City.

May 6
Delivers the sermon “The Meaning of Loyalty #1” at Fellowship Church.

May 8–9
Delivers the sermons “Jesus and the Disinherited” and “The Growing Edge” at Hollywood
Congregational Church in Los Angeles.

May 13
Delivers the sermon “The Meaning of Loyalty #2” at Fellowship Church.

May 20
Delivers the sermon “The Meaning of Loyalty #3—The State” at Fellowship Church.

May 27
Delivers the sermon “The Meaning of Loyalty #4—Job’s Dilemma” at Fellowship Church.

June 3
Delivers the sermon “The Meaning of Loyalty #5—Deutero-Isaiah I” at Fellowship Church.
Gives the baccalaureate sermon at Katharine Branson School in Ross, California.

June 10
Delivers the sermon “The Meaning of Loyalty #6—Deutero-Isaiah II” at Fellowship Church.

June 22
Delivers “The Spiritual Basis of the Educational Adventure” at the Annual Conference of the Church of the Brethren in San Jose, California.

July 8
Delivers the sermon “What is Man?” at Fellowship Church.

July 15
Yosemite National Park Church, California

July 29
Delivers the sermon “Declaration of Independence #1: Created Equal” at Fellowship Church.

Aug. 3–6, 8–9
Speaks Christian Leadership Training School in Naramata, British Columbia.

Aug. 12
Delivers the sermon “Declaration of Independence #2: Life” at Fellowship Church.

Aug. 19
Delivers the sermon “Declaration of Independence #3: Liberty” at Fellowship Church.

Aug. 26
Delivers the sermon “Declaration of Independence #4: Pursuit of Happiness” at Fellowship Church.

Sept. 2
Delivers the sermon “The Parables of Jesus #1: Growth and Kingdom of God” at Fellowship Church.

Sept. 16
Delivers the sermon “The Parables of Jesus #2: Salvation: What is God Like?” at Fellowship Church.

Sept. 21
Delivers the invocation at the American Federation of Labor Conference at the Civic Center in San
Francisco.

Sept. 23
Delivers the sermon “The Parables of Jesus #3: The Prodigal Son” at Fellowship Church.

Sept. 30
Delivers the sermon “The Parables of Jesus #4: Forgiveness” at Fellowship Church.

Oct. 11–12
Delivers the sermons “Love Your Enemies” and “The Way of a Life Worth Living” at Canadian
Memorial Chapel in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Oct. 12
Taylor Union College in Vancouver, British Columbia

Oct. 28
Delivers the sermon “The Parables of Jesus VII: The Possessions” at Fellowship Church.

Nov. 9
Speaks at Emma Willard School in Troy, New York.

Nov. 11
Speaks at Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts.

Nov. 12–17
YWCA, Montreal, Quebec

Nov. 18
Preaches at Memorial Church at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Dec. 9
Delivers the sermon “The Light That is Darkness” at Fellowship Church.

1952

Jan. 13
Delivers the sermon “An Objective Basis for Hope—The Mind #2” at Fellowship Church.

Jan. 20
Delivers the sermon “An Objective Basis for Hope #3” at Fellowship Church.

Jan. 28
Speaks at the dedication of the Interracial Community House in Santa Barbara, California.

Jan. 29–31
Speaks at the Ministers’ Convocation at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.

Feb. 2
Conference on Civil  Rights, American Friends Service Committee, San Francisco

Feb. 5
Delivers “The Quest for Peace” at the University of Iowa in Iowa City.

Feb. 6–7
Delivers “The Religion of Jesus and the Disinherited” and “What Shall I Do With My Life?” at Lawrence College in Appleton, Wisconsin.

Feb. 8
Delivers “The Quest for Fulfillment” at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.

Feb. 10
Speaks at Denison University in Granville, Ohio.

Feb. 11–12
Delivers “Your Life’s Working Paper” at Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio.

Feb. 13–18
Speaks at Religious Emphasis Week at College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio; the theme is “The  Religion of  Jesus and the Atomic Age”:
“The Crucial Dilemma I”
“The Crucial Dilemma II”
“The Conquest of Fear”
“The Conquest of Hate”
“The Great Commandment”

Feb. 19
Speaks at Wooster Methodist Church in Wooster, Ohio.

Feb. 20
Speaks at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio.

Feb. 24
Preaches at The Community Church of New York in New York City.

March 23 
Preaches at Pomona College in Claremont, California.
Preaches at the Inter-congregational Union Church Service in Pasadena, California.

March 27  
Delivers “The Dream of Order” at Mills College in Oakland, California.

April 6 
Delivers the sermon “The Consistent Cross” at Fellowship Church on Palm Sunday.

April 13
Delivers the sermon “The Growing Edge” at Fellowship Church.

April 27
Delivers the sermon “The Mystery of Pain” at Fellowship Church.

May 3
Delivers “What are the Disciplines of Liberty in Religious Life?” at the First Unitarian Church in San Francisco.

May 4
Delivers the sermon “Pain and Failure” at Fellowship Church.

May 11
Delivers the sermon “Pain and Misunderstanding #1”  at Fellowship Church.

May 18
Delivers the sermon “Pain and Misunderstanding #2” at Fellowship Church.

May 25
Delivers the sermon “Religion of the Prophets: The Message of Amos” at Fellowship Church.

June 1
Delivers the sermon “Religion of the Prophets: The Message of Hosea” at Fellowship Church.

June 8
Delivers the sermon “The Arts and Worship” at Fellowship Church.

June 15
Delivers the sermon “Religion of the Prophets: The Message of  Isaiah #1” at Fellowship Church.

June 22
Delivers the sermon “Religion of the Prophets: The Message of Isaiah #2” at Fellowship Church.

June 29
Delivers the sermon “Religion of the Prophets: The Message of Deutero-Isaiah” at Fellowship Church.

July 20
Delivers the sermon “Religion of the Prophets: The Message of Jeremiah #1” at Fellowship Church.

July 27
Delivers the sermon “Religion of the Prophets: The Message of Jeremiah #2” at Fellowship Church.

Aug. 10
Delivers the sermon “Religion of the Prophets: The Message of Ezekiel” at Fellowship Church.

Aug. 17
Delivers the sermon “Religion of the Prophets: The Message of Micah” at Fellowship Church.

Aug. 24
Delivers the sermon “The Crucial Alternative” at Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota,

Aug. 26
Camp Miniwanca (American Youth Foundation), Shelby, Michigan

Sept. 7
Delivers the sermon “The Religion of the Prophets” at Fellowship Church.

Sept. 14
Delivers the sermon “A Faith to Live By #1” at Fellowship Church.

Sept. 21
Delivers the sermon “A Faith to Live By #2: God” at Fellowship Church.

Sept. 28
Delivers the sermon “A Faith to Live By #3: Jesus Christ” at Fellowship Church.

Oct. 5
Delivers the sermon “A Faith to Live By #4: Man” (Part 1 of 2) at Fellowship Church.

Oct. 12
Delivers the sermon “A Faith to Live By #5: Man”  (Part 2 of 2) at Fellowship Church.

Oct. 19
Delivers the sermon “A Faith to Live By #6: Democracy and the Individual” (Part 1 of 2) at Fellowship Church.

Oct. 26
Delivers the sermon “A Faith to Live By #7: Democracy and the Individual” (Part 2 of 2) at Fellowship Church.

Nov. 2 
Preaches at Rockefeller Memorial Chapel at the University of Chicago.

Nov. 5
Delivers “The Growing Edge: Ideal and Achievement” at the annual convocation of Howard University School of Religion in Washington, D.C.

Nov. 7–8
Speaks at the Choate School in Wallingford, Connecticut.

Nov. 23
Delivers the sermon “Creative Imagination #1” at Fellowship Church.

Dec. 7
Delivers the sermon “Creative Imagination #2—In Worship” at Fellowship Church.
Delivers the sermon “The Tabernacle of God” at  California State Prison in San Quentin.

Dec. 12
Delivers the sermon “Creative Imagination” at a shabbat evening service during Hanukkah at Congregation Emanu-El in San Francisco.

Dec. 14
Delivers the sermon “Hanukkah” at Fellowship Church.

Dec. 21
Delivers the sermon “Christmas and the Spirit of Survival” at Fellowship Church.

Dec. 28
Delivers the sermon “Reflections on the Year Past” at Fellowship Church.

Dec. 28–Jan 2
Speaks at student conference of the Pacific Southwest Region of the YMCA and YWCA at Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove, California:
“The World in Crisis”
“The Dynamics of Religious Experience”
“The Quest for God”
“The Relevancy of Jesus”
“The Kingdom of God”

1953

Meditations of the Heart is published by Harper & Brothers.

Feb. 8–12
Speaks at Religious Emphasis Week at the University of Washington in Seattle.

March 1–3
Speaks at Religious Emphasis Week at Wellesley College in Wellesley, Massachusetts.

March 18
Speaks at First Methodist Church in Palo Alto, California.

March 22
Preaches at First Presbyterian Church in Oakland, California.

March 29–April 2
Speaks during Holy Week at Westminster United Presbyterian Church in Des Moines, Iowa.

April 19
Speaks on KNBC in San Francisco (radio broadcast).

May 5–6
Speaks at Caltech YMCA in Pasadena, California.

May 27
Gives the commencement address at Dillard University in New Orleans, Louisiana.

May 31
Gives the baccalaureate sermon at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical College in Tallahassee.

June 2
Gives the commencement address at Barber-Scotia College in Concord, North Carolina.

June 27
Speaks at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco.

July 11
Visits the California State Prison in San Quentin.

Sept. 6
Preaches at Hennepin Avenue Methodist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Sept. 8–11
Attends the School of the Prophets (Indiana Methodist Convention) at De Pauw University in Greencastle, Indiana.

Sept. 20 
Leads his first service as dean of chapel at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Sept. 27
Delivers the sermon “What Shall I Do With My Life?” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Oct. 30
Addresses the Virginia Teachers Association at Virginia Union University in Richmond.

Nov. 1 
Speaks at Tuskegee Institute in Tuskegee, Alabama.

Nov. 8
Delivers the sermon “Quests for Peace #1” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Nov. 13
Speaks at shabbat evening service at Temple Ohabei Shalom in Brookline, Massachusetts.

Nov. 15
Delivers the sermon “Quests for Peace #2” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Nov. 22
Delivers the sermon “Let Us Give Thanks” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.
Speaks at Dana Hall School in Wellesley, Massachusetts.

Nov. 25
Speaks at Wheelock College in Boston.

Dec. 14
Speaks at Columbia University’s McMillin Theater in New York City.

1954

The Creative Encounter is published by Harper & Brothers.

Jan. 10
Speaks at Sweetbriar College in Sweetbriar, Virginia and Hollins College in Roanoke, Virginia.

Jan. 17
Preaches at the Unitarian Church of Germantown in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and the Masters School in Dobbs Ferry, New York.

Jan. 24
Church of Christ, Wesleyan University

Jan. 25
Choate School, Wallingford, Connecticut

Jan. 31
Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts

Feb. 7
Preaches at Memorial Church at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Feb. 8–9
Delivers morning prayers at Memorial Church at Harvard University.

Feb. 19
First Presbyterian Church, Bristol, Tennessee

March 1
Trinity Church, Boston

March 3 
St. George’s Church, New York City

March 14–17
Gives the Merrick Lectures at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio and is awarded doctor of humanities degree.

March 17
Columbus Interracial Church Fellowship, Columbus, Ohio

March 19
Boston Authors Club

March 30–31
King’s Chapel, Boston

April 5–9
Delivers Lenten week sermons at Grace Methodist Church for the Metropolitan Church Federation of Greater St. Louis.

April 7
Graham Memorial Chapel, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri

April 25
Walnut Hill School, Natick, Massachusetts

April 27
Gives the keynote address to the National Association of Foreign Student Advisors at the  YWCA in Worcester, Massachusetts.

May 2
Connecticut College, New London

May 14
Emma Willard School, Troy, New York

May 16
Tabor Academy, Marion, Massachusetts

May 19
Mayor’s Council on Human Relations, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

May 23
Gives the commencement address at Western College for Women in Oxford, Ohio.

May 27
Gives the commencement address at Allen University in Columbia, South Carolina.

May 30
Delivers the baccalaureate sermon at Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina.

June 8
Gives the commencement address at Lincoln University in Oxford, Pennsylvania and is awarded a doctor of divinity degree.

June 13
Delivers the baccalaureate sermon at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York.

July 2
Attends the Pacific Coast Festival in Santa Barbara, California.

Aug. 15
Canadian Memorial Church, Vancouver, British Columbia

Sept. 29–30
Westminster Theological Seminary, Westminster, Maryland

Oct.
“Litany of Thanksgiving” is published in Braille Magazine

Oct. 4
Speaks at the regional meeting of the Council for State Leagues for Nursing in Boston.

Oct. 6
Gives the graduation address at the School of Nursing of the Massachusetts Memorial Hospitals in Boston.

Oct. 8
Addresses the Essex County Teachers Association in Boston.

Oct. 16
Addresses the Massachusetts Schoolmasters’ Club in Boston.

Oct. 24
Preaches at Twelfth Baptist Church in Roxbury, Massachusetts.

Oct. 26
Speaks to the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies in New York City.

Oct. 26–27
Speaks at the Massachusetts State Baptist Convention in Framingham.

Nov. 3
Speaks at Howard University School of Religion in Washington, D.C.

Nov. 6
Dana Hall School, Wellesley, Massachusetts

Nov. 9
Women’s Association, Wellesley Hills Congregational Church, Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts

Nov. 11
Speaks to the National Council of Negro Women in Washington, D.C.

Nov. 12
Speaks at the University of Vermont in Burlington.

Nov. 17
Speaks at the Annual Brotherhood Award Luncheon of the Junior Chamber of Commerce of Philadelphia.

Nov. 24
Thanksgiving Eve Annual Union Service, United Congregational Church, Boston

Dec. 13
Christmas convocation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Dec. 15
Addresses the Alpha Lambda Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa (a fraternity for educators) in Boston.

Dec. 19
Attends the Annual Goodwill Dinner for Temple Brotherhood at Temple Ohabei Shalom in Brookline, Massachusetts.

1955

Deep River: Reflections on the Insights of Certain of the Negro Spirituals is published by Harper & Brothers.

Jan. 7–8
University of Vermont

Jan. 10
Winchester Unitarian Society, Winchester, Massachusetts

Jan. 14
Community-Wide Preaching Mission, Norfolk, Virginia

Jan. 16
Rollins Chapel, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire

Jan. 24–26
Minnesota Pastors Conference, Minneapolis

Jan. 30–Feb. 1   
Keuka College, Keuka Park, New York

Feb. 6
Memorial Church, Harvard University
Annual Dwight L. Moody Memorial Vespers Service, Boston Northfield Club, Boston

Feb. 14–16
Tri-City Preaching Mission to Kingsport, Johnson City, and Bristol, Tennesee

Feb. 20
Second Century Convocation, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri (awarded Doctor of Laws degree)

Feb. 23
Union Theological Seminary, New York City

Feb. 27
Boston Northfield Club
Eastern Division Music Educators National Conference, Boston

March 2
Asbury-First Methodist Church, Rochester, New York

March 3
First Baptist Church, Syracuse, New York

March 4 
Richmond Avenue Methodist Church, Buffalo, New York

March  6 
Wheaton College, Norton, Massachusetts
First Baptist Church, Fall River, Massachusetts

March 16 
Choate School

March 17
Church of the Redeemer, New Haven, Connecticut

March 23
Lenten Service, Darien Congregational Church, Darien, Connecticut

March 28–April 1
Christ Church, Cincinnati, Ohio

April 11–13
Serves as convocation chaplain and delivers address at Alumni Banquet at Colgate-Rochester Divinity School, Rochester, New York

April 27
Phillips Academy

May 8 
Princeton University Chapel, Princeton, New Jersey

May 12
Denison University

May 15
Memorial Church, Harvard University

May 23
Gives eulogy for Mary McLeod Bethune at Bethune-Cookman College, Daytona Beach, Florida.

May 30 
Gives commencement address at Knoxville College, Knoxville, Tennessee.

June 2
Asbury First Methodist Church, Rochester, New York

June 3
Awarded doctor of divinity degree by Howard University.

June 6
Commencement Address, Wheelock College

June 12
Baccalaureate Sermon, Connecticut College, New London, Connecticut

June 19
Fellowship Church

June 26
Fellowship Church

July 3
Fellowship Church

June 19
Festival of Faith, Cow Palace, San Francisco

July 24
Central Methodist Church, Detroit, Michigan

Aug. 14
Wellfleet Methodist Church, Wellfleet,  Massachusetts

Aug. 20
Eulogy for John B. Chambers, Community Church of New York

Sept. 11
Unitarian Church of  Germantown

Sept. 25
Dana Hall School, Wellesley, Massachusetts

Oct. 14
Harriet Tubman Memorial Foundation, AME Zion Church, Auburn, New York

Oct. 16
Twelfth Baptist Church,  Roxbury, Massachusetts
Dana Hall School, Wellesley, Massachusetts

Oct. 23
Dedicatory Sermon for Chapel, Dillard University, New Orleans, Louisiana

Oct. 27
Dana Hall School, Wellesley, Massachusetts

Nov. 4
Women’s Association, Hancock Church, Lexington, Massachusetts

Nov. 10
Jefferson County Education Association, Birmingham, Alabama

Nov. 12
Morehouse College

Nov. 13
Friendship Baptist Church, Atlanta, Georgia

Nov. 17
Ministers’ Club, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Nov. 19
Lambda Kappa Mu (sorority of African American professional women and businesswomen), Boston

Nov. 22
Argo Club, Harvard Medical School

Nov. 27–28
Dana Hall School, Wellesley, Massachusetts

Dec. 5–6
Antioch College, Yellow Springs, Ohio

Dec. 19
Christmas convocation,  Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Dec. 29
Mid-Winter Unitarian-Universalist Ministers’ Institute, Exeter, New Hampshire

1920     1925     1930     1935     1940     1945     1950     1955

1960     1965    1970    1975

1956

The Growing Edge is published by Harper & Brothers.

“Apostles of Sensitiveness” (the Ware Lecture) is published by the American Unitarian Association.

“Habakkuk: Text, Exegesis, and Exposition” and “Zephaniah: Text, Exegesis, and Exposition” are included in The Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. VI, published by Abingdon Press.

Jan. 1
Delivers the sermon “A New Heaven and a New Earth” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Jan. 3
Haverford College, Haverford, Pennsylvania

Jan. 8
Delivers the sermon “The Peace of God” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.
The Masters School, Dobbs Ferry, New York

Jan. 12
Delivers the address “Some Reflections on the Integrated Church” at Hartford Seminary, Hartford, Connecticut.

Jan. 15
Delivers the sermon “The Grace of God” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.
Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine

Jan. 20
Norfolk United Preaching Mission, Norfolk, Virginia

Jan. 22
Delivers the sermon “Justice and Mercy” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Jan. 29
Delivers the sermon “The Love of God” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Feb. 4
Massachusetts Schoolmaster’s Club, Boston

Feb. 5, 19, 26
Delivers the sermon series “Prayer and Meditation” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Feb. 5
Phillips Academy

Feb. 6
Brookline First Parish Branch of the Women’s Alliance, Brookline, Massachusetts

Feb. 12
Delivers the sermon “Love Your Enemy” at Community Church of New York.

Feb. 13
The Hill School, Pottstown, Pennsylvania

Feb. 14
South End House, Boston

Feb. 19
Asylum Hill Congregational Church, Hartford, Connecticut

Feb. 22
St. James Presbyterian Church, Harlem, New York

Feb. 23
Asbury First Methodist Church, Rochester, New York

Feb. 24
Delivers “The Soundless Passion of a Single Mind” at Mills College of Education, New York City.

March 2
Asbury-Delaware Methodist Church, Buffalo, New York

March 4
Delivers “The Quest for Fulfillment” (the Founder’s Day Sermon) at Virginia State College, Petersburg.

March 11, 18
Delivers the sermon series “Not Peace, a Sword” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

March 18
Delivers the sermon “The Dilemma of Jesus” at First Baptist Church, Fall River, Massachusetts.

March 22–23
Morgan State College, Baltimore, Maryland

March 24
Delivers the sermon “What Shall I Do With My Life?” at Tuskegee Institute, Tuskegee, Alabama, and receives an honorary degree.

March 29
Delivers the sermon “An Experience in Worship” at Emmanuel Church, Boston.

April 1
Delivers the sermon “The Growing Edge” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

April 3
Second Baptist Church, Detroit, Michigan

April 15
Delivers the sermon “The Creative Synthesis”  at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

April 17
Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts

April 18
Emma Willard School

April 21
Massachusetts Association of the New Jerusalem, Boston

April 22
Delivers the sermon “The Servants Knew” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.
Tabor Academy

April 29
Connecticut College

May 6
Delivers the sermon “The Other Cheek #1” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.
Speaks to the Boston University Alumni Club of Greater Springfield in Springfield, Massachusetts.

May 7
Thayer Academy, Braintree, Massachusetts

May 9
Lesley College, Cambridge, Massachusetts

May 13
Delivers the sermon “The Other Cheek #2” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

May 14
Gives the commencement address at Colgate-Rochester Divinity School, Rochester, New York.

May 15
Emma Willard School, Troy, New York

May 17
Akron Community Service Center, Akron, Ohio

May 18
Delivers “Apostles of Sensitiveness” (the Ware Lecture) at the Annual Meeting of the American Unitarian Association, Boston.

May 20
Delivers the sermon “Standing on Tiptoe” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

May 21
Gives the commencement address at Virginia State School, Hampton.

May 27
Delivers the sermon “Vignettes of Life” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

May 29
Gives the commencement address at the Theological Seminary of the Reformed and Evangelical Church, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

June 2
Gives commencement invocation at Boston University School of Medicine.

June 10
Delivers the sermon “Blessed are the Humble” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

June 17
Delivers the sermon “The Forgiven” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

June 24
Delivers the sermon “The Role of Sympathy” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

June 27
Delivers “Reflections on the Dilemma of Negro Education” at the Chicago Inter-Alumni Council of the United Negro College Fund.

July 1, 8
Fellowship Church

July 15
Delivers the sermon “What Shall I Do With My Life: Invitation to Renewal”  at Fellowship Church.
Delivers the sermon “Teach Me to Pray” at First Methodist Church, Pasadena, California.

July 21
Fellowship Church’s Spiritual Life Retreat at Stonetree Ranch, Sonoma County, California.

July 22
Fellowship Church

August 5
Central Methodist Church, Detroit, Michigan

Sept. 7
Annual Meeting of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Denver, Colorado

Sept. 9
Unitarian Church of Germantown

Sept. 23
Delivers the sermon “The Quest for Maturity I” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Sept. 30
Delivers the sermon “The Quest for Maturity II: Increasing in Stature” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Oct. 7
House in the Pines School, Norton, Massachusetts

Oct. 14
Delivers the sermon “The Quest for Maturity III: In Favor With God” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Oct. 21
Delivers “The Quest for Maturity IV: In Favor With Man” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.
Milton Academy, Milton, Massachusetts

Oct. 28
Delivers the sermon “Seek the Truth” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Nov. 4
Delivers the sermon “The Religion of Jesus #1” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Nov. 11
Delivers the sermon “The Other Cheek” at Helen Eakin Eisenhower Chapel, Pennsylvania State University, University Park.

Nov. 15
Preaching Institute, Arlington Street Church, Boston

Nov. 18
Delivers the sermon “The Religion of Jesus #2” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Nov. 25
Delivers “The Religion of Jesus #3: Who is My Neighbor?” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Nov. 26–27
Five Oaks Christian Worker Center, Paris, Ontario

Dec. 2
Delivers the sermon “The Religion of Jesus #4: Forgiveness” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Dec. 9
Delivers the sermon “The Religion of Jesus #5: Freedom” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Dec. 16
Performance of “How Far is it To Bethlehem?” (choral drama) at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.
Unitarian Church of Sanford, Sanford, Maine

Dec. 23
Delivers the sermon “The Signs of Man’s Attack” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Dec. 30
Delivers the sermon “The Year’s End” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

1957

Jan. 2–3
Delivers “Worship” and “Preaching” at New England Unitarian-Universalist Mid-Winter Institute, Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, New Hampshire.

Jan. 6
Delivers the sermon “The Religion of Jesus #6: Equality” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Jan. 9
Riverside Church, New York City

Jan. 11
Emma Willard School, Troy, New York

Jan. 13
Delivers the sermon “The Religion of Jesus #7: The Lost” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Jan. 17
Delivers “Apostles of Sensitiveness” at the Florida Open Forum in Palm Beach.

Jan. 20
Riverside Church, New York City

Jan. 21–23
Speaks on “Jesus and the Disinherited” at the Michigan Pastors Conference in Ann Arbor; topics are “Deception,” “Hate,” and “Love.”

Jan. 27
Delivers “The Religion of Jesus #8: Poverty and Riches” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.
Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts

Feb. 3
Delivers “The Religion of Jesus #9: The Kingdom Of God” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Feb. 5
Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut

Feb. 10
The Hill School, Pottstown, Pennsylvania

Feb. 12
Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Feb. 17
Delivers the sermon “The Religion of Jesus #10: The Judgment” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Feb. 24
Delivers the sermon “The Religion of Jesus #11: The Great Feast” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Feb. 25–26
Pastor’s Study Conference, Board of Home Missions of the Congregational and Christian Churches, New York City

March 3
Delivers “The Religion of Jesus #12: The Great Moment” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

March 6
St. James Presbyterian Church, Harlem, New York City

March 13–14
Delivers “The Quest for Maturity #1,” “The Quest for Maturity #2,” and “Maturity in Human Relations” at  the Institute on Successful Marriage and Family Living at Morehouse College.

March 17
Delivers the sermon “The Religion of Jesus #13: Jesus Prays” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.
Asylum Hill Congregational Church, Hartford, Connecticut

March 18–19
Convocation for Preaching for the Philadelphia Area, Buck Hill Falls, Pennsylvania

March 24
Delivers the sermon “Pain #1: The Conquest of Pain” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

March 25–26
Crozier Theological Seminary, Chester, Pennsylvania

March 31
Delivers the sermon “Pain #2: A Glass Darkly I” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

April 1–5
Delivers five sermons on the theme of “The Kingdom of God” at Christ Church, Cincinnati: “God,” “Jesus Prays,” “The Lost,” “Community,” and “The Kingdom of God.”

April 7
Delivers the sermon “Pain #3: A Glass Darkly II” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

April 14
Delivers the sermon “Pain #4: Affliction” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

April 21
Delivers the sermon “Pain#5: Life and Death” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

April 28
Delivers the sermon “Pain VI: Pain and Crisis” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

April 29
Connecticut College, New London, Connecticut

May 5
Delivers the sermon “The Gothic Principle” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

May 6
Delivers “The Responsibility of the Professional to Society” at the National League for Nursing Convention, Chicago.

May 7
Lake Forest College, Lake Forest, Illinois

May 16–17
Maine Conference of the Methodist Church, Augusta

May 19
Delivers the sermon “The Radical Test” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

May 26
Delivers the sermon “Vignettes of Life” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

June 4
Gives the commencement address at North Carolina State College at Durham.

June 16
Delivers the sermon “The Transparent” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

June 18–22
Northeast Ohio Annual Methodist Ministers’ Conference, Lakeside, Ohio

June 25–August 1
Vacations with Sue Bailey Thurman in Edinburgh, Scotland as guests of Coleman Jennings.

August 5
Canadian Memorial Chapel, Vancouver, British Columbia

August 11
Delivers the sermon “The Religion of Jesus” at Fellowship Church.

August 17
Spiritual Life Retreat of Fellowship Church, Stonetree Ranch, Sonoma County, California

August 18
Delivers the sermon “The Great Delusion” at Fellowship Church.

Sept. 8
Unitarian Church of Germantown in Germantown, Pennsylvania

Sept. 22
Delivers “Seeking and Finding: Make Your Journey Before Winter” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Sept. 29
Delivers the sermon “Seeking and Finding” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Oct. 6
Delivers the sermon “Seeking and Finding God #1” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Oct. 13
Delivers the sermon “Seeking and Finding God #2” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Oct. 20
Delivers the sermon “Seeking and Finding Forgiveness #1” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Oct. 27
Delivers the sermon “The Religion of Jesus and Community” at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York.

Nov. 3
Delivers the sermon “Seeking and Finding Forgiveness #2” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.
First Baptist Church, Worcester, Massachusetts

Nov. 10
Delivers two sermons at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor: “The Religion of Jesus” and “The Religion of Jesus and Community.”

Nov. 12
Delivers “The New Heaven and the New Earth: An Interpretation of Certain Aspects of the American Negroes’ Encounter with Higher Education” at Virginia Union University in Richmond.

Nov. 17
Delivers the sermon “Seeking and Finding the Self #1” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Nov. 24
Delivers the sermon “Seeking and Finding the Self #2” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Dec. 1
Delivers the sermon “Seeking and Finding the Self #3” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Dec. 10
Attends meeting of the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination in Boston.

Dec. 15
Delivers the sermon “Seeking and Finding the Self #4” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

1958

Jan. 12
Delivers the sermon “The Moment of Truth #1” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.
Connecticut College, New London

Jan. 13
Choate School, Wallingford, Connecticut

Jan. 19
Delivers the sermon “The Moment of Truth #2” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Jan. 20
Emma Willard School, Troy, New York

Jan. 27–29
Delivers three sermons on “The Religion of Jesus” at Bangor Theological Seminary in Bangor, Maine:
1) “Jesus as Religious Subject”
2) “Children of God”
3) “The Soundless Passion of a Single Mind”

Feb. 2
Delivers the sermon “The Moment of Crisis #1” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Feb. 9
Delivers the sermon “The Moment of Crisis #2” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Feb. 10
Syracuse Ministers’ Association, Syracuse, New York

Feb. 14–15
Tri-State Preaching Mission, Ashland, Kentucky and Huntington, West Virginia

Feb. 16–17
Delivers the following at Hampton Institute in Hampton, Virginia:
1) “What Shall I Do With My Life?”
2) “In Quest of Life’s Meaning”
3) “The Soundless Passion of a Single Mind”

Feb. 23
Delivers the sermon “The Moment of Crisis #3” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Feb. 26
St. James Presbyterian Church, Harlem, New York

Feb. 27
Dwight School, Englewood, New Jersey

March 2
Delivers the sermon “The Moment of Crisis #4” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

March 4
Delivers “God’s Dialogue With Man” at Temple Emanu-El B’ne Jeshurun in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

March 5
Gives the Religious Forum Lecture at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.

March 6
Lake Forest College, Lake Forest, Illinois

March 9
Delivers the sermon “The Moment of Crisis #5” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

March 13
Delivers “The Moment of Crisis” at the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York.

March 16
Delivers the sermon “The Moment of Crisis #6” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

March 20
Lincoln University, Oxford, Pennsylvania

March 23
Asylum Hill Congregational Church, Hartford, Connecticut

March 30
Delivers the sermon “Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me?” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

April 6
Delivers the sermon “Time Still Flows” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

April 13
University of Rochester, Rochester, New York

April 16
Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, New Jersey

April 19
Wellesley Congregational Church, Wellesley, Massachusetts

April 20
Delivers the sermon “Modern Challenges to Religion #1” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

April 27
Delivers the sermon “Modern Challenges to Religion #2” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.
Delivers “Preaching the Gospel in These Days” at the Providence Ministers’ Seminar at the First Baptist Church in America, Providence, Rhode Island.

May 4
Delivers the sermon “Modern Challenges to Religion #3” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.
House in the Pines School, Norton, Massachusetts

May 8–9
Delivers the following at Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania:
1) “Reflections on the Meaning of God”
2) “The Vocation of Commitment to God”

May 18
Delivers the sermon “Faith the Tutor” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

May 25
Delivers the sermon “The Light That Is Darkness” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.
Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, New Hampshire

May 27
Gives commencement address at Virginia State College in Norfolk.

June 1
Baccalaureate speaker for Morehouse and Spelman Colleges, at Atlanta University.

June 15
Delivers the sermon “The Light that Is Darkness” at All Souls Church in Washington, D.C.

June 16
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky

June 23–27
Delivers “Religion in Education” at meeting of the American Alumni Council in Lake Placid, New York.

June 27
Attends board meeting of the Broadcast Foundation of America in New York City.

July 6
Delivers the sermon “The American Dream” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

July 13
Delivers the sermon “The Single Mind #1” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

July 20
Delivers the sermon “The Single Mind #2” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

July 27
Delivers the sermon “Reverence for Life” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Aug. 10
Preaches at Fellowship Church.

Aug. 24
Delivers the sermon “Singleness of the Mind” at Canadian Memorial Church in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Aug. 31
Delivers the sermons “The Moment of Crisis” and “The Three-Way Dialogue” at Canadian Memorial Church in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Sept. 14
Unitarian Church of Germantown, Germantown, Pennsylvania

Sept. 21
Delivers the sermon “Keep Awake” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Sept. 28
Delivers the sermon “Walk In the Way” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.
Delivers commencement address, “The Responsibility of the Professional to Society,” at the Leominster Hospital School of Nursing in Leominster, Massachusetts.

Oct. 5
Delivers the sermon “Intentional Living” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Oct. 8
Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut

Oct. 12
Delivers the sermon “Intentional Living: Peace” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Oct. 18–19
Gives the address “The Third Component” at the Anniversary Convocation of Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio, and is awarded doctor of divinity degree.

Oct. 26
Delivers the sermon “The Third Component” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Nov. 2
Delivers the sermon “The Creative Encounter #1” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Nov. 8
Wheaton College, Norton, Massachusetts

Nov. 9
Delivers the sermon “The Creative Encounter #2: Integrity” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.
Speaks at St. George’s School, Newport, Rhode Island.

Nov. 16
Delivers the sermon “The Creative Encounter #3: Habakkuk” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Nov. 23
Lawrenceville School, Lawrenceville, New Jersey

Nov. 27
On Thanksgiving, delivers the sermon “Harvest of the Heart” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Nov. 30
Delivers the sermon “The Creative Encounter #4: Amos” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Dec. 7
Delivers the sermon “The Creative Encounter #5: Hosea” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Dec. 14
Delivers the sermon “The Creative Encounter #6: Isaiah” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Dec. 29, 1958 – Jan. 1, 1959
Speaks at the University of Redlands in Redlands, California:
1) “Seeking and Finding”
2) “The Three-Way Dialogue—The Self”
3) “The Three-Way Dialogue—Others”
4) “The Three-Way Dialogue—God”

1959

Footprints of a Dream: The Story of the Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples is published by Harper & Bros.

Jan. 3
Delivers “The Strength to be Free” at a meeting of the San Jose branch of the NAACP in San Jose, California.

Jan. 11
Delivers the sermon “Jesus and the Disinherited #1” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Jan. 18
Delivers the sermon “Jesus and the Disinherited #2” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.
The Masters School, Dobbs Ferry, New York

Jan. 25
Delivers the sermon “Jesus and the Disinherited #3” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Feb. 1
Delivers the sermon “Jesus and the Disinherited #4” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Feb. 8–12
Texas Southern University, Houston

Feb. 19
St. Paul’s Church, Niagara Falls, New York

Feb. 20
Delivers “The 23rd Psalm” at Woodside Methodist Church in Buffalo, New York.

Feb. 22
Delivers the sermon “Jesus and the Disinherited #5” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

March 1
Delivers the sermon “Jesus and the Disinherited #6: Fear” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.
Delivers “The Experience of Forgiveness” at a meeting of the Council of Churches in Fall River, Massachusetts.

March 8
Delivers the sermon “Jesus and the Disinherited #7: Fear of God” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

March 11
St. John the Evangelist, Hingham, Massachusetts

March 13
Temple Emanu-El B’ne Jeshurun, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

March 15
Delivers “The Dynamic of Commitment” before the Chicago Sunday Evening Club at Orchestra Hall in Chicago.

March 16
Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio

March 22
Delivers the sermon “Jesus and the Disinherited #8” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

March 27
Delivers a sermon on Good Friday at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

March 29
Delivers the sermon “Belief in Life” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

April 5
Delivers the sermon “Jesus and the Disinherited #9” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.
Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine

April 26
Delivers “Jesus and the Disinherited #10: Hate (Part 1)” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

May 3
Delivers “Jesus and the Disinherited #11: Hate (Part 2)” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.
Milton Academy, Milton, Massachusetts

May 14
South Presbyterian Church, Dobbs Ferry, New York

May 24
Delivers the sermon “Jesus and the Disinherited #12” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

May 25
Receives honorary doctor of humanities degree at Virginia State College.

May 30
Speaks at baccalaureate service at Milton Academy in Milton, Massachusetts.

May 31
Delivers the sermon “Vignettes of Life” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

June
Elected fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

June 2
Delivers commencement address at Savannah State College in Savannah, Georgia.

June 4
Delivers commencement address at Beaver Country Day School in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.

June 14
Delivers the sermon “The Fundamental Ends of Life #1” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

June 16
Speaks at memorial service for Oswald W. McCall at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

June 21
Delivers the sermon “The Fundamental Ends of Life #2” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

June 28
Delivers the sermon “The Fundamental Ends of Life #3” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

July 10
Serves as leader for Fellowship Church’s retreat at Stonetree Ranch in Sonoma County, California.

July 11
First Methodist Church, Oakland, California

July 13–31
Teaches courses on “Spiritual Disciplines” and “Spiritual Resources” at Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California.

July 19
Delivers the sermon “God’s Dialogue With Man #1” at First Methodist Church in Oakland, California.

July 25
Serves as leader for Fellowship Church’s retreat at Stonetree Ranch in Sonoma County, California.

July 26
Delivers the sermon “God’s Dialogue With Man #2” at First Methodist Church in Oakland, California.

Sept. 8
First Unitarian Church, San Francisco

Sept. 13
First Unitarian Church of Germantown in Germantown, Pennsylvania

Sept. 20
Delivers the sermon “Remember Thy Creator” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Sept. 27
Delivers the sermon “The Sense of Tradition” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Oct. 4
Delivers the sermon “The Sources of Tradition #1” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.
The Hill School, Pottstown, Pennsylvania

Oct. 11
Delivers the sermon “The Sources of Tradition #2” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Oct. 18
Delivers the sermon “The Sources of Tradition #3” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Oct. 25
Delivers the sermon “The Sources of Tradition #4” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.
Speaks to the Central Square Ministers’ Association in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Oct. 28
First Unitarian Church, Portland, Oregon

Nov. 8
Delivers “Freedom and Suffering #1: Freedom and Failure” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Nov. 15
Delivers “Freedom and Suffering #2: Freedom and Grace” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Nov. 20
“We Believe: Love Its Own Reward” is broadcast on WHDH-TV in Boston.

Nov. 22
Delivers the sermon “Freedom and Suffering #3” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Nov. 29
Delivers the sermon “Freedom and Suffering #4” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Dec. 4
“We Believe: Love’s Climate” is broadcast on WHDH-TV in Boston.

Dec. 6
Delivers the sermon “The Witness of God” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Dec. 11
“We Believe: The Love of God” is broadcast on WHDH-TV in Boston.

Dec. 18
“We Believe: The Experience of Love” is broadcast on WHDH-TV in Boston.

Dec. 27
Delivers the sermon “The Face of Tomorrow” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

1960

Jan. 11–13
Hampton Institute, Hampton, Virginia

Jan. 14–16
Bennett College, Greensboro, North Carolina

Jan. 19–22
Tuskegee Institute, Tuskegee, Alabama

Jan. 30–Feb. 5
Arkansas A, M & N College, Pine Bluff

Feb. 9–March 4
In Los Angeles on sabbatical

March 6
Narrator, “Queen Esther, Oratorio” by Marc Lavry, at the San Francisco War Memorial Opera House, performed in honor of the 100th anniversary of Congregation Beth Israel

March 8–Sept. 15
Travels on a round-the-world tour with Sue Bailey Thurman.

July 24
Preaches at St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square, London.

July 26
Preaches at Manchester and Salford Methodist Mission, England.

July 31
Preaches at Bristol Methodist Mission, England.

Sept. 18
Delivers the sermon “Standing on Tiptoe” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Sept. 25
Delivers the sermon “Disciplines of the Spirit” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.
Speaks at Cathedral of the Pines in Rindge, New Hampshire.

Oct. 2
Delivers the sermon “Disciplines of the Spirit: Growth” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Oct. 9
Delivers “Disciplines of the Spirit: Personal Stability” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Oct. 16
Delivers the sermon “Disciplines of the Spirit: The Single Mind” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Oct. 23
Delivers the sermon “An Imperative to Understanding,” International Vespers Service, Marsh Chapel.

Oct. 30
Delivers “Disciplines of the Spirit: When Commitment Becomes Idolatrous” at Marsh Chapel.

Nov. 9–11
“Disciplines of the Spirit,” Smith-Willson Lectures, Southwestern College, Winfield, Kansas
1) “Increasing in Wisdom and Stature (Growth)”
2) “The Soundless Passion of a Single Mind (Commitment)”
3) “The Horns of Wild Oxen (Suffering)”
4) “The Desire to Be Understood (Love)”
5) “The Hunger for God (Prayer)”

Nov. 11
Langston University, Langston, Oklahoma

Nov. 20
Delivers “Disciplines of the Spirit: The Good and the Evil” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Nov. 22
Delivers “Thou Hast Beset Me Behind and Before” at Andover-Newton Theological School, Newton Centre, Massachusetts.

Nov. 27
Delivers “Disciplines of the Spirit: The Discipline of the Act” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Dec. 4
Delivers the sermon “Disciplines of the Spirit: Faust” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Dec. 11
Delivers the sermon “Disciplines of the Spirit: Suffering” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Dec. 18
Delivers the sermon “Disciplines of the Spirit: Job” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Dec. 25
Christmas Worship Service, Boston University’s Marsh Chapel

1920     1925     1930     1935     1940     1945     1950     1955
1960     1965    1970    1975

1961

The Inward Journey is published by Harper and Brothers.

Mysticism and the Experience of Love is published by Pendle Hill.

“Two Options” is included in God and the H-Bomb, edited by Donald Keys, published by Bellmeadows Press and Bernard Geis Associates.

Jan. 15
Delivers the sermon “Disciplines of the Spirit: The Undying Fire” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Jan. 22
Delivers the sermon “Community and the Will of God: The Hand of God” at Marsh Chapel.

Feb. 6–8
Delivers Mendenhall Lectures at DePauw University, Greencastle, Indiana. The theme is “Community and the Will of God.”
1) “Community and the Myths of Creation”
2) “Community and the Experience of Creation”
3) “Community and the Prophet’s Dream”
4) “Community and Christian Commitment”

Feb. 12
Delivers the sermon “The Green Bough” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Feb. 22–24
Ministerial Conference, Board of Church Extension, Presbyterian Church in the United States, Atlanta, Georgia

Feb. 26
Delivers the sermon “Community and the Will of God: Community and Innocence” at Marsh Chapel.

Feb. 27
Delivers “Mysticism and the Experience of Love” at Friends General Conference, Baltimore, Maryland.

March 5
Delivers the sermon “Community and the Will of God: Innocence and Goodness” at Marsh Chapel.

March 19
Emma Willard School, Troy, New York

March 20–24
Lenten services, Christ Church, Cincinnati

March 26
Delivers the sermon “Who Is This?” at Palm Sunday service, Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

April 2
Delivers the sermon “The Life Worth Living” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

April 9
Delivers the sermon “Community and the Will of God: Community and Creatureliness” at Marsh Chapel.

April 16
Delivers the sermon “Community and the Will of God: Community and the Self” at Marsh Chapel.

April 20–22
Delivers “The Meaning of Human Freedom” and “The Apostles of Sensitiveness” to the Halifax Area Council of Human Relations, Daytona Beach, Florida.

April 26
Delivers the sermon “The Choice is Ours” at Tourist Church, Daytona Beach, Florida.

April 28
Temple Shalom of Newton, West Newton, Massachusetts

May 7
Delivers the sermon “Community and the Will of God: Community of Fear” at Marsh Chapel.

May 14
Delivers “Community and the Will of God: Community and the Prophet’s Dream, Part 1” at Marsh Chapel.

May 21
Delivers “Community and the Will of God: Community and the Prophet’s Dream, Part 2” at Marsh Chapel.

May 27
Gives the commencement address at the E.J. Hayes School, Williamston, North Carolina.

May 28
Gives the commencement address at Barber-Scotia College, Concord, North Carolina.

May 29
Gives the commencement address at St. Paul’s School, Lawrenceville, Virginia.

June 18
Delivers the sermon “Not Peace But a Sword” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

June 27–30
Hampton Institute, Hampton, Virginia

July 10
Delivers “The Experience of Prayer” at Pasadena Methodist Church, Pasadena, California.

July 26
Delivers “Meditations on Psalm 139 and God in the Experience of Man” at First AME Church, Oakland, California.

Aug. 12–19
Speaks on the theme of “Disciplines of the Human Spirit” at the Christian Leadership Training School, Naramata, British Columbia.
1) “Disciplines of the Human Spirit: Growth”
2) “Disciplines of the Human Spirit: Commitment”
3) “Disciplines of the Human Spirit: Suffering”
4) “Disciplines of the Human Spirit: Tragedy”
5) “Disciplines of the Human Spirit: Love”

Sept. 10
Unitarian Church of Germantown in Germantown, Pennsylvania

Sept. 17
Delivers “Journey to Fulfillment,” the Freshman Sermon, at Boston University.

Sept. 24
Delivers the sermon “Let Any Man Speak” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Oct. 1
Delivers the sermon “The Inward Journey #1” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Oct. 8
Delivers the sermon “The Inward Journey #2: Jacob Boheme and The Mystic Will” at Marsh Chapel.

Oct. 9–11
Delivers a lecture series entitled “Disciplines of the Spirit” at Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln.

Oct. 15
Delivers the sermon “The Inward Journey #3: Meister Eckhardt—From Whom God Hid Nothing” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Oct. 22
Delivers the sermon “The Inward Journey: The Inner Light #1” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Oct. 23
Gives invocation at plenary session for the United States National Commission for UNESCO at Boston University.

Oct. 29
Delivers the sermon “The Inward Journey: The Inner Light #2” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Nov. 5–10
Delivers lectures at Metropolitan United Church, Toronto, Ontario:
“The Fundamental Ends of Life”
“The Quest for Fulfillment”

“The Quest for Community” (lecture series):
1) “Community and Creation”
2) “Community and Creatures”
3) “Community and Utopias”
4) “Community—The Kingdom of God”

“Disciplines of the Spirit” (lecture series):
1) “The Discipline of Growth”
2) “The Discipline of Community”
3) “The Discipline of Freedom”
4) “The Discipline of Suffering”
5) “The Discipline of Love”

Nov. 12
Delivers the sermon “The Inward Journey: St. Francis of Assisi” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Nov. 19
Delivers the sermon “Let Any Man Speak” at Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, Massachusetts.
Speaks at Amherst Unitarian Church, Amherst, Massachusetts.

Nov. 26
Delivers the sermon “The Inward Journey: Plotinus” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Dec. 3
Delivers the sermon “The Inward Journey: St. Augustine, Architect of A New Faith, Part 1” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Dec. 4–5
Deer Hill Retreat Center, Hughsonville, New York

Dec. 10
Delivers the sermon “The Inward Journey: St. Augustine, Architect of A New Faith, Part 2” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Dec. 11
Fisher Junior College, Boston

Dec. 17
Delivers “The Discipline of Love” at Orchestra Hall for the Chicago Sunday Evening Club.

Dec. 18
Delivers  “Let Any Man Speak” at McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago.

Dec. 24
Delivers the sermon “The Sign of Man’s Attack” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Dec. 31
Delivers the sermon “What Shall I Remember?” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

1962

The Temptations of Jesus: Five Sermons is published by Lawton Kennedy.

Jan. 7
Delivers the sermon “Witnessing the New Year” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Jan. 13
Delivers the sermon “The Dilemma in the Wilderness” at United Church of Canada, London, Ontario.

Jan. 14
Delivers the sermon “The Inward Journey: Albert Schweitzer” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Jan. 19
The Hill School, Pottstown, Pennsylvania

Feb. 4
Delivers the sermon “Quests of the Human Spirit” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Feb. 11
Delivers the sermon “Quests of the Human Spirit: The Quest for Freedom” at Marsh Chapel.

Feb. 18
Delivers the sermon “Quests of the Human Spirit: The Quest for Values” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Feb. 25–28
Speaks on “The Challenge of the Christian Faith to the College Community” at Spelman College, Atlanta, Georgia:
1) “The Christian Faith and Human Growth”
2) “The Christian Faith and Human Love”
3) “The Christian Faith and Human Commitment”
4) “The Christian Faith and Human Fulfillment”

March 2
Gives the Charter Day Lecture at Howard University, Washington, D.C.

March 4
Delivers the sermon “Quests of the Human Spirit: The Quest for Truth” at Marsh Chapel.

March 5
Gives a talk, “Growth,” to the Mothers’ Council of West Newton in West Newton, Massachusetts.

March 8–9
Church of the Redeemer, Washington, D.C.

March 11
Delivers the sermon “Quests of the Human Spirit: The Quest for Security” at Marsh Chapel.

March 15
Delivers “The Meaning of Commitment” at Scarsdale Community Baptist Church, Scarsdale, New York.

March 18
Delivers the sermon “Quests of the Human Spirit: The Quest for Authority” at Marsh Chapel.

March 19–20
Emma Willard School, Troy, New York

March 25
Delivers the sermon “Quests of the Human Spirit: The Quest for Integrity” at Marsh Chapel.
Speaks at Asylum Hill Congregational Church, Hartford, Connecticut.

March 27
Delivers “The Meaning of Human Freedom” to the Frontiers of America (a fraternal organization), Tampa, Florida.

April 1
Delivers the sermon “Quests of the Human Spirit: The Quest for Identity” at Marsh Chapel.

April 8
Wellesley College, Wellesley, Massachusetts

April 15
Delivers the sermon “The Prophet from Galilee” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

April 20
“The Good Friday Experiment” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel

April 22
Delivers the sermon “The Way of Deliverance” at Easter service, Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

April 25
Gives the Forrest City Hospital Lecture, Cleveland, Ohio.

April 29
Delivers “The Meaning of Human Freedom: An Interpretation” to the Detroit Chapter of the NAACP.

May 1–3
Earlham College, Richmond, Indiana

May 6
Delivers the sermon “Quests of the Human Spirit: The Quest for Peace, Part 1” at Marsh Chapel.

May 8
Delivers “The Search for God in Religion” at Wainwright House, Rye, New York.

May 11
Tilton School, Tilton, New Hampshire

May 13
Delivers the sermon “Quests of the Human Spirit: The Quest for Peace, Part 2” at Marsh Chapel.

May 20–21
Gives the baccalaureate sermon and commencement address at Florida Normal and Industrial Memorial College, St. Augustine; awarded doctor of letters degree.

May 27
Delivers the sermon “Quests of the Human Spirit: The Quest for God” at  Marsh Chapel.

June 3
Delivers the sermon “Three Vignettes” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

June 26–29
Serves as devotional leader at the Ministers’ Conference, Hampton Institute, Hampton, Virginia.

July 1
Delivers “The Temptations of Jesus #1: Not by Bread Alone” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

July 8
Delivers the sermon “The Temptations of Jesus #2: Tempt God?” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

July 15
Delivers “The Temptations of Jesus #3: The Kingdoms of This World” at Marsh Chapel.

July 22
Delivers “The Temptations of Jesus #4: At the Crossroads” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

July 29
Delivers the sermon “The Temptations of Jesus #5: In the Garden” at Marsh Chapel.

Aug. 3–11
International Christian Writers Conference, Green Lake, Wisconsin

Sept. 12–16
Theme Worship Leader, General Council, United Church of Canada, London, Ontario
1) “The Temptations of Jesus #1: The Dilemma of Jesus”
2) “The Temptations of Jesus #2: The Dilemma in the Wilderness”
3) “The Temptations of Jesus #3: The Dilemma of the Kingdom”
4) “The Temptations of Jesus #4: The Dilemma at the Crossroad”
5) “The Temptations of Jesus #5: The Dilemma in the Garden”

Sept. 22
Delivers the sermon “Worship and Word” (location unknown).

Oct. 16–18
Speaks to the Federation of Indian Chiefs, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Oct. 22–25
“The Inward Journey” (multi-day seminar), YWCA, Montreal, Québec, Canada

Nov./Dec.
“The Search for God in Religion” is published in The Layman’s Retreat Review.

Nov. 1
Delivers “The Minister as a Person,” Morris Harvey College, Charleston, West Virginia.

Nov. 4
Delivers the sermon “In the Beginning” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Nov. 11
Smithfield Street Methodist Church, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Nov. 13
Gives convocation address at Payne Theological Seminary, Wilberforce, Ohio.

Nov. 25
World Fellowship Service Conference, YWCA, Los Angeles, California

Nov. 27–30
La Verne College, La Verne, California

1963

Jan. 13 
Gives address at service of remembrance for David Dallas Jones, Bennett College, Greensboro, North Carolina.

Jan. 20
Pomfret School, Pomfret, Connecticut

Jan. 27
All Souls Church, Washington, D.C.

Jan. 31 
Speaks at Thursday morning chapel service, Dana Hall School, Wellesley, Massachusetts.

Feb. 1–2
Retreat for Hartford Theological Seminary

Feb. 3
Melrose Church, Hamilton, Ontario

Feb. 5–8
Lectures on “Quests of the Human Spirit,” Religion and Life Week, United College, Winnipeg, Manitoba:
1) “Quest for Meaning”
2) “Quest for Selfhood”
3) “Quest for Freedom”
4) “Quest for God”

Feb. 9
Gives address at the Chicago Morehouse College Alumni Founders’ Day Banquet.

Feb. 26
Speaks at freshman assembly, Howard University, Washington, D.C.

March 3
Vesper service, Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota

March 3–17
Serves as minister-in-residence and Lenten lecturer and preaches on “Disciplines of the Spirit” for three Sundays at Plymouth Congregational Church, Minneapolis.

March 15
Preaches at Temple Emanu-El B’ne Jeshurun, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

March 26
Delivers “The Frontiers of Human Freedom,” Friends’ observance of the 100th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, Friends Meeting House, Philadelphia.

April 7–10
Faith Week, Grace Methodist Church, Des Moines, Iowa; the overall theme is “Jesus and the Tempter:”
7      “Not by Bread—Alone”
7     “Tempt God?”
8     “The Kingdoms of This World”
9      “At the Crossroad”
10    “In the Garden”

April 13
Gives Easter sermon at Saturday evening service, The Unitarian Church of Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

April 25
Gives invocation at annual spring banquet of the Massachusetts Assoc. of Women Lawyers, Boston.

April 27
Gives invocation and benediction at dinner in honor of Dean Marie Farrell of the Boston University School of Nursing; held at Hotel Vendome, Boston.

April 28
Milton Academy, Milton, Massachusetts

May 6
Delivers “Barriers to Understanding” (location unknown).

May 19
Princeton University Chapel, Princeton, New Jersey
The Lawrenceville School, Lawrenceville, New Jersey

May 21
Delivers “In Quest of the Self,” Beaver College, Glenside, Pennsylvania.

May 23
Presents gift of “United Nations Bridal Dolls”  to Hampton Institute, Hampton, Virginia (with Sue Bailey Thurman).

May 25
“Howard Thurman Day,”  Daytona Beach, Florida

May 26
Gives baccalaureate address at Bethune-Cookman College, Daytona Beach, Florida.

May 27
Awarded the Mary McLeod Bethune Medallion by Bethune-Cookman College.

May 28
Gives commencement address at Winston-Salem Teachers College, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Gives commencement address entitled “The Frontiers of Freedom” at Livingstone College, Salisbury, North Carolina.

June 9
Delivers baccalaureate sermon at Meharray Medical College, Nashville, Tennessee.

June 13–15
Delivers sermons on “Quests of the Human Spirit,” Methodist Ministers Conference, Lycoming College, Williamsport, Pennsylvania:
13      “The Quest for Freedom ”
14      “The Quest for Reconciliation”
15      “The Quest for God”

June 17
Keynote speaker, National Congress of Colored Parents and Teachers, Houston, Texas

July 7
Delivers the sermon “The Single Mind” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

July 14
Delivers the sermon “Violence and Nonviolence” at  Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

July 17
Attends meeting of the Commission on Religion and Race of the Unitarian Universalist Association, Gloucester, Massachusetts.

July 19–25
Leads series of devotions on “The Religion of Jesus,” Five Years Meeting of Friends, Earlham College, Richmond, Indiana. 

July 28
Delivers the sermon “The Wider Ministry and the Concept of Community” at Marsh Chapel.

August 28
Attends the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

Sept.
Disciplines of the Spirit is published by Harper & Row.

“Christ’s Message to the Disinherited: Prophet Speaks Ethic of Love to Oppressed, Oppressor” is published in Ebony (centennial issue); it is reprinted in The A.M.E. Review.

Sept. 19
Sails from New York to England.

Sept. 24
Arrives in England.

Sept. 27
Sails from England to Lagos, Nigeria.

Oct.
“The Discipline of Reconciliation” (chapter from Disciplines of the Spirit) is published in the Journal of Religion and Health.

Oct. 10
Arrives in Lagos, Nigeria.

Oct. 12
Begins appointment as visiting lecturer on the philosophy of religion in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Ibadan in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Nov. 18
As a representative of Boston University, attends installation ceremony of the Rt. Hon. Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Prime Minister of the Federation of Nigeria, as the first chancellor of the newly independent University of Ibadan, which until 1962 was a college of the University of London.

Nov. 24
Conducts memorial service for John F. Kennedy, and delivers eulogy, at the Residence of the American Ambassador in Lagos, Nigeria.

Dec. 2
Flies from Lagos to London with Sue Bailey Thurman, then to Tel Aviv, Israel.

Dec. 16
Sails from Israel to Naples through the Suez Canal, and on a cruise in the Indian and Pacific Oceans to Hawaii.

1964

“The Meaning of Purpose in Religious Experience” is published in Religion Ponders Science, edited by Edwin P. Booth (New York: Appleton-Century, 1964).

Feb. 3
Arrives in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Feb. 9
Preaches at the Church of the Crossroads, Honolulu.

Feb. 11
Delivers “The Search for Community” at the University of Hawaii, Honolulu; the talk is sponsored by the Billings Lectureship of the Unitarian Universalist Association.

Sails from Honolulu to San Francisco.

Feb. 23
Delivers “Out of a Man’s Faith,” the first annual Oswald McCall Memorial Lecture, First Congregational Church, Berkeley.

March 7
The Ethel Walker School, Simsbury, Connecticut

March 13–15
Gives talks on the theme of “The Quest for Community” at the Rocky Mountain Regional Conference of Danforth Associates, Taos, New Mexico: “Community and the Unity of Life” and “Community and Human Freedom.”

March 20–21
Gives lecture and seminar during Religious Emphasis Week at Elizabeth City State College, Elizabeth City, North Carolina.

April 3–5
Grace Methodist Church, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 

April 8
Delivers “Mysticism—An Interpretation” for the Interfaith Association of Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.

April 26
Delivers “The Gothic Arch” at Fisk University, Nashville, Tennessee.

May 3
Delivers “The Quest for Identity” at Hampton Institute, Hampton, Virginia.

May 6
Delivers “Bridges and Barriers to Understanding” at the Annual Meeting of the Women’s Section of the United Nations Association in Canada, Toronto branch.

Delivers “Aspects of Freedom” for the Toronto Negro Business and Professional Men’s Association.

May 12
Delivers the lecture “A Journey in Understanding” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

May 17
Delivers the sermon “Temptations of Jesus” at First Methodist Church, Rochester, Minnesota.

May 31
Baccalaureate speaker, Rhode Island College, Providence
Baccalaureate speaker, Milton Academy, Milton, Massachusetts

June 2
Delivers the commencement address “What Shall I Do With My Life?” for the Negro high schools of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School System, Charlotte Coliseum, Charlotte, North Carolina.

June 6
Gives commencement address, Fisher Junior College, Boston.

June 8
Gives the address “Journey in Understanding” to Freedom House, Boston.

June 10
Gives the address “Certain Dilemmas of Christianity” for the Schenectady Methodist Society, Burnt Hills, New York.

June 21
Delivers “The Renewing of the Spirit” at the General Conference for Friends, Cape May, New Jersey; also participates in a Race Relations Round Table at the conference.

July 1
Retires as dean of Boston University’s Marsh Chapel; assumes the title “University Minister-at-Large.”

July 5
Danforth United Church, Toronto

July 12
Danforth United Church, Toronto

July 26
Delivers the sermon “The Gothic Arch” at the Community Church of New York (in New York City).

August 
“Putting Yourself in Another’s Place” is reprinted in Presbyterian Action (printed in Childhood Education, Feb., 1962).

August 2
Delivers “Quests of the Human Spirit: The Quest for Community” at the Workshop on Religious Resources at the 1964 National Conference of the Urban League, Louisville, Kentucky; the Urban League publishes the address in pamphlet form.

August 16
First Congregational Church, Rockport, Massachusetts (while on vacation with Sue Bailey Thurman)

August 22
Delivers invocation and benediction at the summer commencement exercises of Boston University.

Sept. 4–6
Speaks on theme of “The Meaning and Significance of Man’s Experience of Community” at the Conference of Western Canada Unitarian Region, Fort Qu’Appelle, Saskatchewan:
4     “Community and Racial Memory”
5     “Community and Man’s Experience as a Creature
6     “Community and the Dream of the Kingdom of God

Sept. 13
Delivers the sermon “The Renewing of the Spirit,” Canadian Memorial Church, Vancouver.

Sept. 14
Gives convocation address at Wenatchee Valley College, Wenatchee, Washington.

Speaks at First Methodist Church, Wenatchee, Washington.

Sept. 17
Attends banquet celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Fellowship Church (location unknown).

Sept. 20
Delivers the sermon “Quests of the Human Spirit: The Quest for the Eternal” at service marking the 20th anniversary of the Fellowship Church.

Delivers “Quests of the Human Spirit: The Quest for Community” (in the evening, probably at Fellowship Church).

Sept. 21
Delivers “The Meaning of Freedom,” Orinda Community Church, Orinda, California.

Sept. 25–26
Leads spiritual retreat in Malibu Hills, California for Woodland Hills Community Church.

Sept. 27
Preaches at Orinda Community Church, Orinda, California.

Oct. 9
Speaks to the Young Women’s Christian Association in Montreal, Quebec.

Oct. 19
Gives invocation in Boston for the Northeastern Area Conference of the Florence Crittenton Association of America.

Speaks at the 60th anniversary celebration of the Harriet Tubman House, Boston.

Oct. 29
Gives invocation and benediction at dedication convocation for new building at Boston University School of Law.

Nov. 1
Preaches at the First Parish Church in Portland, Maine.

Nov. 2
Speaks at the First Universalist Church in Portland, Maine.

Nov. 6
Guest speaker, Zion Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Nov. 8
Guest preacher, Plymouth Congregational Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Nov. 9
Addresses the Minneapolis Ministerial Association.

Nov. 13
Attends book-party luncheon honoring Howard Thurman and Elizabeth Yates, sponsored by President Harold C. Case and the Trustees of Boston University.

Nov. 18
Release of Howard Thurman: Portrait of a Practical Dreamer by Elizabeth Yates (published by John Day Company)

Nov. 29
Preaches  the sermon “The Soundless Passion of a Single Mind” at King’s Chapel, Boston.

Dec. 6
Guest speaker, the Masters School, Dobbs Ferry, New York

Dec. 7
Guest speaker, Union Theological Seminary, New York City

Dec. 27
Preaches  the sermon “The Unity of Life” at the Old Ship Church, Hingham, Massachusetts.

Dec. 28
Banquet speaker, the Youth Fellowship Convention of the National Association of the Church of God, Boston

1965

Writes the introduction, and prose poems, for Why I Believe There Is a God: Sixteen Essays by Negro Clergymen, published by Johnson Publishing, Chicago.

The Luminous Darkness: A Personal Interpretation of the Anatomy of Segregation and the Ground of Hope is published by Harper & Row.

Eulogy for John F. Kennedy is printed in That Day With God, edited by William M. Fine, published by McGraw-Hill.

Jan. 10
Delivers “A Sense of What is Vital” (morning service) and “What Is Your Life’s Working Paper?” (evening service), Bloor Street United Church, Toronto.

Jan. 17
Speaks at afternoon vesper service, the Lawrenceville School, Lawrenceville, New Jersey.

Jan. 18–19
Attends meetings with students and faculty, gives address to Upper School, and gives address to religious assembly at Germantown Friends School, Philadelphia.

Jan. 27
Delivers “The Soundless Passion of a Single Mind” at chapel service for Lake Forest College, Lake Forest, Illinois; service is held at the First Presbyterian Church.

Jan. 29–30
Leads retreat for Melrose Church, Hamilton, Ontario.

Jan. 31
Preaches at morning and evening services, Melrose Church, Hamilton, Ontario.

Feb. 7
“The Mid-Century American Revolution,” Negro History Week program, Boston Public Library

Feb. 14
Preaches the sermon “What Shall I Do With My Life?” at Sunday morning service, Morgan State College, Baltimore, Maryland.

Feb. 15
“The Soundless Passion of  a Single Mind,” Morgan State College (morning)
“The Three Levels of Responsibility,” address at dinner meeting of the Morgan Christian Council, Morgan State College

Feb. 17
Guest preacher, Milton Academy, Milton, Massachusetts

Feb. 21
Preaches at Sunday evening service, Milton Academy.

Feb. 28–March 3
Religious Emphasis Week speaker, Shaw University, Raleigh, North Carolina
28     “What Shall I Do With My Life?” (part 1)
1        “What Shall I Do With My Life?” (part 2)
2        “The Soundless Passion of a Single Mind”
3        “The Renewing of the Spirit”

March 7
Preaches at Pomfret School, Pomfret, Connecticut (morning service).
Preaches at The Ethel Walker School, Simsbury, Connecticut (evening service).

March 15
Gives memorial tribute to Jim Reeb on the “We Believe” show. 

March 18
Preaches at St. James Episcopal Church, New York City.

March 21
Delivers “The Renewing of the Spirit” at service of the Chicago Sunday Evening Club.

March 22
Noonday Lenten service for the Church Federation of Greater Chicago, at the Chicago Temple

March 24
“The Soundless Passion of a Single Mind,” morning chapel, Hamline University, St. Paul, Minnesota
“The Sense of Self,” Hamline Methodist Church, St. Paul (evening service)

March 25
Guest preacher, Hamline University

March 29–31
Lenten preacher, Christ Church Cathedral, Cincinnati, Ohio

March 30
Gives “Memorial Tribute of the City of Cincinnati” for Viola Liuzzo, Christ Church Cathedral.

April 1, 2
Lenten preacher, Christ Church Cathedral (Episcopalian), Cincinnati

April 4
“The Gothic Arch,” Talladega College, Talladega, Alabama

April 5–7
Week of Inspiration speaker, Virginia State College, Norfolk

April 6
Visits Hampton Institute (Thurman is a trustee).

April 12
Delivers “Let This Cup Pass;” opens Holy Week for the Utica Area Council of Churches; service held at Grace Episcopal Church, Utica, New York.

April 13
Emma Willard School, Troy, New York

April 18
Attends the National Association of Negro Musicians’ Second Annual Scholarship Concert at Philharmonic Hall, Lincoln Center, New York; is one of the recipients of the Second Annual Award.

April 25
“The Renewing of the Spirit,” Plymouth Congregational Church, Seattle (morning)
“The Dilemmas of Jesus,” University Methodist Temple, Seattle; service is under the auspices of the Churches of the University District (evening)

April 26, 27
Preaches on “Your Life’s Working Paper” at two morning chapel services, and gives two evening addresses on “The Quest for Community,” Seattle Pacific College.

May 9
“The Renewing of the Spirit,” annual Religious Forum of the Monadnock Council of Churches at the Peterborough Congregational Church in New Hampshire

May 11, 12
Gives four lectures on “Disciplines of the Spirit,” Payne Theological Seminary, Wilberforce, Ohio:
11 “The Need for Spiritual Renewal and Discipline” and “The Discipline of Growth”
12 “The Discipline of Love” and “The Discipline of Suffering”

May 14
Preaches at Graduates’ Day service, Milton Academy (Girls’ School).

May 16
“Quests of the Human Spirit: The Quest for Fulfillment,” Marsh Chapel (Thurman’s last sermon as dean of chapel at Boston University)

May 19
“A Testimonial to a Ministry,”—testimonial program and reception honoring Thurman on his retirement from Boston University

May 24
Gives opening remarks at the unveiling of Robert Witt Ames’ bas-relief mural entitled “Freedom Now,” at the Massachusetts State House, Boston.

May 26
Conducts brief opening service for the Ware Lecture, sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Association, Statler Hilton Hotel, Boston.

May 28
Final appearance on “We Believe” television program
Preaches at Temple Emanu-El, Marblehead, Massachusetts.

May 30
“The Gothic Arch”—baccalaureate address, Hampton Institute

June 3
Addresses the Gamma Gamma Chapter of Omicron Kappa Upsilon—a national scholarship fraternity in dentistry—at its spring banquet at the Harvard Faculty Club, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

June 5
Delivers “The Responsibility of the Professional to Society” at the Senior Convocation of the Boston University School of Nursing, at Marsh Chapel.

Gives invocation and benediction for Law Day Exercises at Boston University’s School of Law.

June 6
Baccalaureate speaker, Milton Academy, Milton, Massachusetts

June 27
Preaches at St. Thomas Church, New York City.

July 1
Thurman’s formal retirement from Boston University

July 9
Boston University’s Board of Trustees unanimously elects Thurman to position of Dean of Marsh Chapel Emeritus. 

July 25
“The Dilemma of Commitment,” The Riverside Church, New York City

August 
The Luminous Darkness is the August selection of the Religious Book Club.

Thurman moves back to San Francisco.

August 1
Gives address at graduation ceremony of the National Beauty Culturists’ League, Inc., Hilton Hotel, Washington, D.C.

Sept. 7
Leads one-day spiritual retreat for pastors of the Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. on “Disciplines of the Spirit,” Los Angeles.

Sept. 10
Speaks at conference of the Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc., Los Angeles.

Nov.
Addresses the General Assembly of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, San Francisco.

Nov. 5–6(?)
Lectures in San Bernardino, California.

Nov. 23
Delivers “The Idea of God and Modern Thought” at the 25th Annual Garvin Lecture on the Idea of God as Affected by Modern Knowledge, the Church of Our Father (Unitarian), Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Dec. 5–8
Livingstone College, Salisbury, North Carolina

Dec. 7
Hood Theological Seminary, Salisbury, North Carolina

Dec. 14
Speaks to the California Writers Club, Hotel Shattuck, Berkeley.

 

1920     1925     1930     1935     1940     1945    1950     1955

1960    1965    1970    1975

1966

“The Greatest of These” is printed in The Preaching Pastor, edited by Charles F. Kemp, published by the Bethany Press, St. Louis, Missouri (reprinted from Thurman’s book The Growing Edge).

Jan. 3–March 18
Visiting professor for winter term at the School of Religion at Earlham College, Richmond, Indiana; teaches course titled “Discipleship, Ministry and the Church.”

Jan. 30
“The Renewing of the Spirit 1” and “The Renewing of the Spirit 2,” First Congregational Church, Battle Creek, Michigan (two morning services)

Feb. 15–17
Methodist Convocation on Urban Life, Chicago

April 4–7
Visits Boston University.

April 17
“The Negro Spiritual Speaks of Life and Death,” annual spring lecture of the National Coordinating Committee of the American Museums of Negro History, King’s Chapel, Boston

June 21
“The Quest for Community,” testimonial for Dr. Kenneth Clement, Cleveland

July 6
Resigns from the Advisory Committee of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE).

July 24, 31
Preaches at Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Aug. 7
Preaches at Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Sept. (?)
Writes “Desegregation, Integration, and the Beloved Community” (published in 2009 in Benjamin E. Mays: His Life, Contributions, and Legacy, edited by Samuel Dubois Cook).

Early Sept.–Dec. 8
Serves as a Public Member of the Twentieth Selection Boards for Foreign Service Officers in the State Department, Washington, D.C.

1967

“The Meaning of Spirituals” is printed in The Negro in Music and Art, compiled and edited with an introduction by Lindsay Patterson, published by Publishers Company, Inc., New York, under the auspices of the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History.

Gives eulogy for S. A. Owens.

Feb. 5
“Jesus and the Disinherited,” the Unitarian Church of Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Feb. 9
“The Dilemma of Jesus,” Lenten Services, Antioch Baptist Church, Cleveland, Ohio

Feb. 11
Reads poetry and delivers meditation at the dedication ceremony for the Poets and Dreamers Garden at Livingstone College, Salisbury, North Carolina.

Feb. 14–23
Visits Morehouse and Spelman Colleges, Atlanta, Georgia.

Feb. 15
“The Public and Private Results of Collegiate Education in the Life of Negro Americans,” an address at the Morehouse College Centennial Banquet

Feb. 26
“Deep River,” Centennial Vespers, Howard University
“Listening for the Sound of the Genuine,” Howard University Centennial Celebration

April 4
“Twentieth-Century Dialogues: A Revisit With Howard Thurman” airs; it is a pre-recorded interview at Sam Bernardino Valley College that is produced by the college’s division of telecommunications.

May 19
Speaks at retirement celebration of Harold C. Case.
Boston University awards Thurman an honorary doctor of divinity degree.

July 16–21
Serves as chaplain at Chautauqua Institution (Chautauqua, New York).
16 “The Dilemma of Commitment” (Sunday morning service)
     “Quest for Life’s Meaning” (Sunday Vespers)
17 “Not By Bread Alone”
18 “Tempt God?”
19 “The Temptations of Jesus: The Kingdoms of This World”
20 “The Temptations of Jesus: At the Crossroads”
21 “The Temptations of Jesus: In the Garden”

Aug.
Thurman is hospitalized for two and a half days in order to have his left eye cauterized to correct a hemorrhaging condition.

Aug. 20
Speaks on “Our Ancient Quest for Freedom,” Temple Isaiah, West Los Angeles.

Sept.5–mid-Dec.
Visiting professor at the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky

Oct. 1
“The Journey Into Fulfillment” and “The Radical Test,” First Community Church, Cleveland, Ohio

Oct. 7
“The Journey Into Fulfillment,” address for the 20th Anniversary Festival of Faith of the Church of the Saviour, Germantown, Maryland

~Nov. 1–7
At Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary:
“If the Light In You Be Darkness”
“The Experience of Freedom”
“The Gothic Principle”
“Thou Shalt Not Tempt God”
“Deep River”
“The Great Incarnate Word”
“Finding a Way of Life Worth Living”

Nov. 26
Delivers sermon, “The Soundless Passion of a Single Mind,” at the installation of Vernon C. Nichols as assistant minister of the North Shore Unitarian Society, Port Washington, Long Island, New York.

Dec. 14
“The Religion of Jesus (Christmas),” Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary

1968

Jan.
Spends time in Tucson, Arizona with Sue Bailey Thurman.

Jan.–June
Takes sabbatical; declines most requests for preaching, lecturing, and teaching engagements.

April 
Delivers address at annual meeting of the Chicago Bible Society and receives Gutenberg Award for achievement in religion and education.

April 7

Conducts memorial service for Martin Luther King, Jr. at Fellowship Church.
Delivers “On the Significance of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Life and Death” on the “Sunday Special” radio show on San Francisco-Oakland station KSFO.

April 8
Speaks at ceremony for Martin Luther King, Jr. at University of California, Santa Cruz.
Records tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. for radio station KPFK.

April 25
Gives prayer at Centennial Charter Day Convocation at Hampton Institute, Hampton, Virginia.

April 26
Attends meeting of the board of trustees at Hampton Institute.

May 3
“The Dilemma of the Religious Professional,” Senior Honors Convocation, Boston University School of Theology

May 15
Delivers the address “What Shall I Do With My Life?” at the University of Redlands in Redlands, California.

June 14
Participates in “Healing the Open Wound,” University of California, San Francisco Medical Center.

July 14–28
Preaches on three Sundays at Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church, Minneapolis.
14  “Jesus and the Disinherited: The Conquest of Fear and Deception”
21  “Jesus and the Disinherited: The Conquest of Hate and Violence”
28  “Jesus and the Disinherited: The Strength of Love”

Aug. 5–8
Virginia Union University, Richmond

Oct.
Begins year-long appointment as advisor to the National Endowment for the Humanities, to review grant applications.

Oct. 13–15
Edmonds Methodist Church, Edmonds, Washington
13  “What Shall I Do With My Life?”

Oct. 20
Appears with Roberta Byrd Barr on TV program “Face to Face.”

Nov.
Spends three weeks as a visiting professor at Howard University.

1969

“A Plea from Black America” is published in Profiles of Gandhi (Delhi, India: Indian Book Co.).

“A Memorial Tribute for Mrs. Viola Liuzzo” is published in The Cry for Freedom: An Anthology of the Best That Has Been Said and Written on Civil Rights Since 1964, compiled and edited by Frank W. Hale, Jr. (New York: A. S. Barnes and Company).

Jan. 22
Accepts invitation to serve on the board of trustees of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Center.

Jan. 1–March 18
Takes sabbatical, during which he accepts no preaching, lecturing, or teaching engagements.

March 
The Centering Moment is published by Harper & Row.

March 18–20
Long Beach State College, Long Beach, California
18  “Man and Social Change: Violence and Nonviolence”
19  “Man and the Experience of Freedom”
20  “Man and the Experience of Community”

March 22–25
Speaks at retreat of First Congregational Church, Longmont, Colorado:
22  “The Quest for Fulfillment”
25  “The Religious Professional and the Life of the Spirit”

April 14
Speaks at Boston University School of Theology’s Senior Honors Convocation, Marsh Chapel.

April 22–25
Lacy Kirk Williams Ministers’ Institute, Dallas, Texas
23  “Jesus and the Disinherited”
24  “Jesus and the Disinherited: Jesus and Paul”

May 11
Preaches at Fellowship Church.

June 10–13
Detroit Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, Adrian College, Adrian, Michigan

June 18–22
West Michigan Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, Albion College, Albion, Michigan

July 20–25
Speaks at Friends Five Year Meeting, Earlham College, Richmond, Indiana.
20   “Jesus and the Religious Experience”
21    “Jesus and the Gothic Principle”
22    “Jesus and the Natural Order”
23    “Jesus and the Kingdoms of the World”
24    “Jesus and the Struggle of the Soul”
25    “Jesus and the Idiom of Existence”

July 28–Aug. 6
Virginia Union University School of Religion, Richmond

Sept. 
Minor surgery and two days hospitalization at Mount Zion Hospital and Medical Center, San Francisco

Sept. 28
Preaches at Fellowship Church, at service celebrating the church’s 25th anniversary.

Oct. 5–7
Canadian Memorial Church, Vancouver, British Columbia
5     “Jesus and the Religious Experience” (morning)
       “Jesus and the Gothic Principle” (evening)

Oct. 12–15
Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Seattle
12    “Jesus and the Natural Order” (morning)
“The Kingdoms of This World” (evening)
13     “Jesus”
14     “Violence and Nonviolence”
15     “Fear, Hate, Love”

Oct. 19–20
Pilgrim Baptist Church, Rockford, Illinois
19     “Jesus and the Natural Order” 

Oct. 20
Meets with Frank T. Wilson and the Task Force on Program Design and Location of the Temporary Commission on Theological Education in the Southeast (of the United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America), at the Conrad Hilton Hotel, Chicago.

Oct. 24–26
Hampton, Virginia (probably Hampton Institute)

Oct. 30
Toronto, Ontario

Nov. 4
Thurman is initiated into the Delta of Georgia chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, in Atlanta.

Nov. 9
Preaches at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Nov. 10–14
Conducts Spiritual Life Seminar at Boston University.
10    “Jesus and the Religious Experience” 

Nov. 13
Attends Alumni Award Dinner at Boston University; reads award citation honoring George K. Makechnie.

Nov. 16
Delivers “The Way of Peace” at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.
Attends dedication of the Howard Thurman Lounge in Marsh Chapel.

Nov. 19
Speaks at banquet at Gandhi Centennial sponsored by Dag Hammarskjöld College, Washington, D.C.

Nov. 20
Meets with Frank T. Wilson and the Task Force on Program Design and Location of the Temporary Commission on Theological Education in the Southeast (of the United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America), Washington, D.C.

Nov. 30
The first part of “A Creative Encounter”  airs on Seattle-based KING-TV; it is a one-hour interview with Roberta Byrd Barr.

Dec. 
Takes sabbatical; focuses on writing.

Dec. 6
The San Francisco Bay Area Morehouse Club gives testimonial luncheon in honor of Thurman at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco.

Dec. 7
The second part of “A Creative Encounter”  airs on Seattle-based KING-TV; it is a one half-hour interview with Roberta Byrd Barr.

Dec. 14
The third part of “A Creative Encounter”  airs on Seattle-based KING-TV; it is a one-hour interview with Roberta Byrd Barr.

1970

Excerpt from The Luminous Darkness is published in Viewpoints from Black America, edited by Gladys J. Curry (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.).

“Mysticism and Ethics” is reprinted in The Journal of Religious Thought (vol. 27, no. 2; summer supplement).

Jan.–April
Continues sabbatical.

Jan.–Feb.
Goes on tour of the South Pacific with Sue Bailey Thurman.

Feb. 
“An Interpretation of the Significance of Higher Education in a Segregated Society” is published in The Negro Speaks, edited by Jamye Coleman Williams and McDonald Williams (New York: Noble and Noble).

March 
Offers his resignation from Hampton Institute’s board of trustees; the resignation is accepted at the board of trustees meeting in April.

April 1 
Attends annual meeting of the board of trustees of the Howard Thurman Educational Trust in San Francisco.

April 21–23
Delivers “Jesus and the Natural Order” and “Standing Inside with Jesus Christ” at Bishop College, Dallas.

~May 29
Dedication of Howard Thurman Hall (a dormitory) at Morehouse College

May 31
Gives sermon at baccalaureate service of Atlanta University, Spelman College, and Morehouse College.

June 29
Delivers “God and the Modern World” at a meeting of Unitarian Universalists in Seattle.

July
Preaches for three Sundays at the Colonial Church of Edina, in Minnesota.
12     “What Shall I Do With My Life: The Gothic Principle”
19     “What Shall I Do With My Life: The Natural Order”
26     “What Shall I Do With My Life: Commitment”

July 27–Aug. 6
Virginia Union University, Richmond

Aug. 5
Participates in service in honor of Rabbi Saul White at Congregation Beth Sholom in San Francisco.

Sept. 11
Two hours of “A Creative Encounter” airs on KQED, a Berkeley TV station.

Sept. 14–16
Gives course on “Disciplines of the Spirit” at the Center for Urban-Black Studies of the Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley.

Sept. 24
Addresses a special meeting of Fellowship Church.

Oct. 11
Delivers sermons at three services at Edmonds United Methodist Church, Edmonds, Washington: “The Darkness and the Light,” “Thou Hast Beset Me #1,” and “Thou Hast Beset Me #2.” 

Oct. 13
A tape recording of a tribute from Thurman is played at the funeral of Samuel Woodrow Williams at Friendship Baptist Church in Atlanta.

Nov. 1
“The Freedom of the Human Spirit,” Unitarian Church of Germantown, Philadelphia

Nov. 2–4
In New York City; meets with Harper & Row about The Search for Common Ground.

1920     1925     1930     1935     1940     1945     1950     1955

1960    1965    1970    1975

1971

The Search for Common Ground: An Inquiry Into the Basis of Man’s Experience of Community is published by Harper & Row.

Feb. 8–12
Delivers lecture series entitled “The Preacher as a Religious Professional” at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, Mill Valley, California.

March 7–21
Serves as visiting minister-in-residence at The Community Church of New York.
7     “What Shall I Do With My Life #1: The Freedom of the Human Spirit”
14   “What Shall I Do With My Life #2: The Dilemmas in the Wilderness”
21   “What Shall I Do With My Life #3: The Experience of Community” (The church publishes the sermon in booklet form.)

March 16
Delivers eulogy for Whitney Young at Riverside Church; it is printed in The Community News of The Community Church of New York.

April 4
Delivers eulogy for Whitney Young at the First Unitarian Church in San Francisco, entitled “Whitney Young: What Can I Do?”

April 21
Lectures at La Verne College in La Verne, California.

May 9
Preaches at the University of Chicago.

May 30
Preaches at South Berkeley Community Church.

June 22–Aug. 5
Teaches summer school at the Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley; the course is entitled “Mysticism and Social Change.”

July 23–25
Speaks at annual retreat of the Western Region of The Disciplined Order of Christ (The Disciples of Christ), Santa Barbara, California:
23   “The Dynamics of the Commitment of the Life, #1”
24   “The Dynamics of the Commitment of the Life, #2”
“The Dynamics of the Commitment of the Life, #3”
25   “The Dynamics of the Commitment of the Life, #4”

Sept. 7
Writes review of Liberation and Reconciliation: A Black Theology by J. Deotis Roberts for Religious Education. 

Oct. 20
Receives a National Urban League Service Pin Award for 25 years of service to the Urban League, at a meeting of the board of directors of the Bay Area Urban League.

Nov. 4
Delivers the convocation address, entitled “The Search for Common Ground,” at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.

Nov. 9
“On the Search for Common Ground,” Friends Meeting, Virginia Beach, Virginia

Nov. 10
“Dilemmas of the Religious Professional,” Friends Meeting, Virginia Beach, Virginia

Dec. 12
“The Renewing of the Spirit,” Orinda Community Church, Orinda, California

1972

Jan. 
Thurman has a prostatectomy and is hospitalized for nine days.

April 1
“The Search for Common Ground #1,” “The Search for Common Ground #2,” and “The Search for Common Ground #3,” Church of the Day, Berkeley

April 2
“The Search for Common Ground #4” and “The Search for Common Ground #5,” Church of the Day, Berkeley

April 3
“The Search for Common Ground #6,” “The Search for Common Ground #7,” and “The Search for Common Ground #8,” Church of the Day, Berkeley

April 10
Gives the first Black Church Studies Lecture at Colgate Rochester Divinity School, Rochester, New York.

May 30–31
Black Pentecost series, Eliot Congregational Church, Roxbury, Massachusetts: “Black Pentecost #1: The Release of the Spirit,” “Black Pentecost #2: Reflections on the Black Spirit,” and “Black Pentecost #3: Footprints of the Disinherited”

July 9
“The Dilemma of Love and Hate,” First Congregational Church, San Francisco

July 16
“The Dilemma of Life and Death,” First Congregational Church, San Francisco

Aug. 6
Receives honorary degree from Bishop College, Dallas, Texas.

Oct. 8
“The Dilemma of Life and Death,” Unitarian Church of Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Oct. 11
Attends Convocation of the National Committee of Black Churchmen in New York City and receives the Annual Black Church Award.

Nov.
“Sacrament of Thanksgiving” is printed in The Christian Home (vol. 5, no. 3).

1973

A Track to the Water’s Edge: The Olive Schreiner Reader is published by Harper & Row.

The Mood of Christmas is published by Harper & Row.

Feb.
Spends three weeks in residence at the University of Redlands in Redlands, California; teaches “Mysticism and Social Change.” 

April 1–2
6th Annual Lay-Clergy Institute, First Congregational Church, Longmont, Colorado
1    “The Dilemma of Religious Experience” and “The Dilemma of Love and Hate”
2    “The Dilemma of Life and Death””

April 11
“The Experience of Human Freedom,” Amherst College, Amherst, Massachusetts (sponsored by the Willis Wood Fund)

May 
Delivers commencement address at Rust College, Holly Springs, Mississippi.

Attends 50th class reunion at Morehouse College.

May 9
“Racial Roots and Religion: An Interview with Howard Thurman” is published in The Christian Century.

June 24
“The Givenness of God: The Sound of the Genuine,” Friends General Conference, Earlham College, Richmond, Indiana

Sept. 14
Attends luncheon honoring Harry B. Scholefield, retiring Senior Minister of the First Unitarian Church of San Francisco, and is one of several people who give brief remarks.

Sept.–Dec.
Takes sabbatical.

1974

Jan.–May
Sabbatical continues.

Feb. 24
Preaches at the Hollis Presbyterian Church in Hollis, Queens, New York.

late February–early April
In New York City with Sue Bailey Thurman

March
Thurman is elected Honorary Canon of the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, New York City.

July 28
“The Search for Community,” Plymouth Church, Minneapolis

Aug. 4
“The Crisis of Hope,” Plymouth Church, Minneapolis

Nov. 4
Sends memorandum to the minister, the board of trustees, and the membership of the Church for the Fellowship of All People, relinquishing his formal relationship to the church as minister emeritus.

Nov. 16
Gives seminar for ministers at Union Baptist Church in Baltimore.

Nov. 17
Preaches at Union Baptist Church in Baltimore.

1975

Publication of The First Footprints: The Dawn of the Idea of the Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples by Howard Thurman and Alfred Fisk (San Francisco: Lawton and Alfred Kennedy)

Jan. 11
Conducts seminar at the First Unitarian Church of Berkeley.

 

1920     1925     1930     1935     1940     1945     1950     1955

1960    1965    1970    1975

 

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