Paul Washington

Paul Washington was born in Charleston, South Carolina, USA on May 26, 1921. He attended the Avery Institute and subsequently Lincoln University. Washington graduated from the Philadelphia Divinity School of the Episcopal Church. He did his pastoral work at the Church of The Crucifixion at 8th Bainbridge Streets in South Philadelphia, where he met his future wife Christine.

Immediately after marriage, Washington and his wife went to Liberia as missionaries. There, Washington helped found Cuttington College, which went on to educate many African leaders. For a period of time Father Paul was its acting president. The couple returned to Philadelphia in 1954. In 1962, Father Paul was made rector at the Church of The Advocate.

During his 25 years at the Advocate, he was recognized as one of the key leaders of the black power movement. When there was nowhere else for gatherings to be held, it was known by all that Washington would allow them to meet at the Advocate. He hosted the National Black Power Conference in 1968. Two years later he hosted the Convention of the Black Panther Party. Huey Newton was one of the speakers. In 1971, the Church of The Advocate was the site for the rally to raise money for the Angela Davis Defense Fund.

The 1970s also marked Washington's increasing involvement in another area of inequality-the role of women in the Episcopal Church. In 1974, Father Paul participated in the ordination of the first 11 women into priesthood. Although the ordination was highly controversial, this event marked a new era for both the Episcopal Church and the Church of The Advocate. He was widely known and revered. At the request of then-Attorney General Ramsey Clark, Washington participated in the international peace conference in Iran that was forbidden by the U.S. government. He was honored far and wide.

During his years at the Advocate, Washington served as Episcopal Chaplin at Eastern State Penitentiary. He served on the Move Commission established by then-Mayor Wilson Goode and was the chaplain of the Advocate Communities Development Corporation’s (ACDC) Board of Directors. He continued to serve ACDC until the fall of 1998. ACDC was established by his wife and constructed multimillion-dollar projects, rehab and new construction for those in need. Over 400 units of housing have been added to the North Philadelphia community.

Washington died on Oct. 7, 2002.

Source: http://fatherpaulwashington.com/Online References:

Source: excerpts from Drama Review, 12 (Summer 1968), 29-39

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