LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION mourning the death of Reverend Gardner C. Taylor,
preacher, distinguished citizen and devoted member of his community

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to pay tribute to
citizens of the State of New York whose lifework and civic endeavor
served to enhance the quality of life in their communities and the great
State of New York; and
WHEREAS, Reverend Gardner C. Taylor of Durham, North Carolina, died on
Sunday, April 5, 2015, at the age of 96; and
WHEREAS, Gardner Calvin Taylor was born to the late Reverend Washing-
ton M. and Selina Taylor on June 18, 1918, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana;
and
WHEREAS, Reverend Gardner C. Taylor distinguished himself in his
profession and by his sincere dedication and substantial contribution to
the welfare of his community; and
WHEREAS, In 1940, Gardner Calvin Taylor graduated from the Oberlin
College School of Theology in Oberlin, Ohio; while a student, he became
the pastor of Bethany Baptist Church, in nearby Elyria, Ohio, serving
from 1938 to 1941; and
WHEREAS, He went on to serve as pastor of the Beulah Baptist Church in
New Orleans, until 1943, and of his father's former congregation, Mount
Zion Baptist Church, in Baton Rouge, until 1947; and
WHEREAS, In 1941, Reverend Gardner C. Taylor married the former Laura
Bell Scott; and
WHEREAS, A year later, Reverend Gardner C. Taylor re-located to Brook-
lyn, New York; he held the esteemed position of Senior Pastor of the
Concord Baptist Church of Christ in Bedford-Stuyvesant for 42 faithful
years; and
WHEREAS, Under his luminous leadership, The Concord Baptist Church of
Christ added thousands of parishioners, established a credit union to
provide loans to members of the community, built a 121-bed nursing home,
and a center for the elderly, as well as an elementary school; and
WHEREAS, Reverend Gardner C. Taylor's commitment to excellence, and
his spirit of humanity, carried over into all fields of enterprise,
including charitable and civic endeavors; and
WHEREAS, Known as a strong advocate for public schools, Reverend Gard-
ner C. Taylor served as a member of the New York City Board of Education
from 1958-1961; and
WHEREAS, Reverend Gardner C. Taylor played a prominent role in the
religious leadership of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s; in 1961,
he and the late Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other black
clergy members left the National Baptist Convention, U.S.A., America's
largest black Christian denomination and formed their own, the Progres-
sive National Baptist Convention, which was committed to social justice,
desegregation and affirmative action; Reverend Gardner C. Taylor held
the title of President from 1967-1969; and
WHEREAS, Throughout the 1960s, Reverend Gardner C. Taylor organized
civil rights marches; he also served as the Director of the Urban League
of Greater New York, and a member of the New York City Commission on
Intergroup Relations; and
WHEREAS, In 1988, Reverend Gardner C. Taylor and the members of the
Concord Baptist Church of Christ raised funds to establish the Christ
Fund, a church endowment whose annual interest is used to provide commu-
nity improvement grants to central Brooklyn neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, Two years later, Reverend Gardner C. Taylor officially
retired from his role as Pastor and went on to present lectures and
sermons in several countries, including South Africa, Zambia, Malawi,

Denmark, England, Scotland, Australia, China and Japan, as well as
universities and churches across the United States; and
WHEREAS, In 1996, Reverend Gardner C. Taylor married his second wife,
the former Phillis Strong, in 1996; and
WHEREAS, Reverend Gardner C. Taylor was the author of many books and
2,000 sermons, as well as recipient of 15 honorary doctorates; moreover,
he was awarded the 2000 Presidential Medal of Freedom; and
WHEREAS, In addition to his wife, Reverend Gardner C. Taylor is
survived by one daughter, Martha Taylor LaCroix, and a step-grandson,
Marcus LaCroix; and
WHEREAS, Armed with a humanistic spirit and imbued with a sense of
compassion, Reverend Gardner C. Taylor leaves behind a legacy which will
long endure the passage of time and will remain as a comforting memory
to all he served and befriended; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
mourn the death of Reverend Gardner C. Taylor, preacher, distinguished
citizen and devoted member of his community; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the family of Reverend Gardner C. Taylor.