Walter E. Fauntroy papers, part 3

Walter E. Fauntroy was born in Washington, D.C. on February 6, 1933. He graduated from Dunbar High School in 1952 and received his Bachelor of Arts from Virginia Union University in 1955. He earned a bachelor of divinity from Yale University Divinity School in 1958. In 1959, he began his career in public service through his appointment as pastor of his childhood church, New Bethel Baptist Church. He served as pastor from 1959 until his retirement in 2009.

An advocate of civil rights, Fauntroy served as a leader in the civil rights movement. He became close to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and served as the director of the Washington Bureau of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) from 1960-1971. As a director of SCLC, Fauntroy coordinated the events leading up to the August 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom and the 1965 March from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. In 1968, he served as the national coordinator of the Poor People's Campaign. In the years after Dr. King’s assassination, Fauntroy often gave speeches in his honor and memory.

Fauntroy utilized his activism experiences to promote urban redevelopment within the District of Columbia. He founded a number of redevelopment projects, including the Model Inner City Community Organization (MICCO), a neighborhood planning corporation. Fauntroy's active community involvement led to his first political position as the first vice chairman appointed to the District of Columbia Council in 1967. He became a vocal advocate for voting rights and representation within the District (among other things). Later in his career, in the mid-1990s, Fauntroy was heavily involved with work surrounding the Capital Homestead Act, which would have created opportunities for Black residents to own property within the District. It was supposedly based off of the Homestead Acts of the mid-1800s. The legislation did not pass.

In 1970, Congress passed the Delegate Act, and in 1971, D.C residents elected Fauntroy to represent the District as Delegate to the House of Representatives. Fauntroy strongly supported the right for full representation of the District, and immediately began a legislative campaign in support of home rule. In 1973, the District of Columbia Self-Government and Government Reorganization Act became law and D.C. citizens were given the authority to elect a mayor and a city council. He was also an advocate for D.C. Statehood.

Fauntroy served in Congress for twenty years (1971-1991). He worked on many committees during his tenure, including the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), for which he also served as chairman. In addition to serving on many committees, he also chaired several of them. He founded the National Black Leadership Roundtable (NBLR), a network created under the auspices of the CBC, in support of domestic leadership. The "Free South Africa Movement" (FSAM) and the Congressional Task Force on Haiti serve as two examples of Fauntroy's active involvement in international affairs (which would continue after leaving Congress).

Fauntroy founded his own consulting firm, Walter E. Fauntroy and Associates, which was based in Washington, DC. After leaving Congress, he was involved in many local, national, and international projects and causes. He lobbied Congress on international issues, specifically in South Africa and the Middle East. He also worked on issues within the Washington metro area, like the relocation of the Lorton Prison Complex, the Capital Homestead Act, and other projects in conjunction with the NBLR, and other Baptist and Interfaith groups. He was frequently asked to speak at conferences and events--usually promoting a project he was working on or commemorating Civil Rights history. He also served as an advisor and counselor to individuals who might have known him through his position at New Bethel.

Fauntroy retired as pastor of New Bethel in 2009. His wife, Dorothy, served as First Lady of the Church while Walter was pastor. They have two children, Marvin and Melissa.

(Biography adapted from the Finding Guides written for MS2070 Walter Fauntroy papers Part 1 and MS2310 Walter Fauntroy papers Part 2, with new portions added in 2021. For more information on Walter Fauntroy and his achievements, please see those Finding Guides.)