Cook: A monumental man for a monumental church

It was the spring of 1981. A large coalition of black citizens had petitioned Chattanooga government to rename Ninth Street in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.

Some white Chattanoogans disagreed, including one influential landowner, who threatened to scrap his plans to build a parking garage and offices if Ninth Street became known as Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

On April 7, 1981, the City Commission met for the vote. A standing-room-only crowd watched. Then-Vice Mayor John Franklin made the motion to rename the street, which brought the mostly black crowd to its feet for a standing ovation that lasted nearly 30 seconds.

But no commissioner offered a second for Franklin's motion.

The attempt at renaming Ninth Street failed.

So two weeks later, black Chattanoogans did it themselves.

David Cook

In one of the most meaningful marches in the city's history, hundreds of black Chattanoogans marched onto Ninth Street and did what city government refused to do: Carrying ladders and singing "We Shall Overcome," they renamed the street by pasting green stickers -- "Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd." -- onto street signs and utility poles.

"We made our point in a peaceful way, as Martin Luther King Jr. taught us, and we hope the city will make our action official," Dr. Virgil Caldwell said.

Three months later, the city did just that, renaming Ninth Street to M.L. King Boulevard, as it stands today.

We have Caldwell to thank. Caldwell, the longtime pastor of New Monumental Baptist Church, epitomized the best of what a pastor can be: engaged, brave, with a vision held together by justice, mercy and community.

"He was a man of God, first and foremost," said Caldwell's daughter, Scottie.

Last week, Caldwell died of a heart attack. He was 84. He is survived by his four children. His funeral is today at noon at New Monumental.

"He stressed the importance of education," Scottie said. "He stressed the importance of respect, for each other, teachers, elders and peers. He loved his New Monumental family."

Caldwell pastored New Monumental for 40 years. Under his leadership, New Monumental solidified itself as a Southern church standing for justice and equality after the era of Jim Crow. Installed at New Monumental in 1968, the same year King was assassinated, Caldwell, who also worked with Jesse Jackson, personified a similar MLK-esque faith, sort of what civil rights leader Bayard Rustin called "an angelic troublemaker."

"The minister is looked upon as the one to confront city hall if evils are perpetrated there," Caldwell once said. "Ministers are free to speak on the injustice in the community more than others because there is no economic intimidation against them. This has more or less raised their role in the community because concern should be temporal for the lives of people as well as spiritual."

Before he became a pastor, he was a social studies teacher. Before that, he fought in the Korean War. ("It was in Korea that I learned how to pray," he once said.) A man who knew full well the bitter insult of racism -- Jim Crow made him sit in the back of the bus, and take separate cabs from his fellow white soldiers -- Caldwell was also committed to education. His undergraduate degree came from Lane College, followed by another degree from Columbia University, then a doctorate from Luther Rice Seminary.

To him, the church was an active and vibrant force in the community, an anything-but-passive agent of education, activism and social righteousness.

"We are trying to make an impact politically," he said. "Church people need to be involved in this because we have got to live in this world."

Caldwell also wrote 18 books and recorded three gospel albums, playing the saxophone and piano.

"He could blow that sax," one friend said.

Gospel singer CeCe Winans -- her sister married one of Caldwell's sons -- will sing at his funeral. On the morning of his death, Caldwell played his baby grand piano, choosing a song -- "I'm in the Mood for Love" -- for his late wife, Ruby.

Then he went downtown to visit Blue Boy Barbershop. Getting out of his car, he collapsed.

He fell onto the sidewalk, where his monumental heart beat for the final time.

"He passed away on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard," said Scottie.

***

As Caldwell believed, religion can be a force for social good and reconciliation. With that in mind, I'd like to invite you to an interfaith discussion on Monday evening.

At 7 p.m., an event called "Faith in Chattanooga" will bring together nonclergy members of the local Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, Christian and atheist communities for a panel discussion and public Q&A with the common goal of understanding.

"Diversity without dogma, allowing for greater conversation among Chattanooga's residents," said Michael Dzik, executive director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Chattanooga.

Contact David Cook at dcook@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6329. Follow him on Facebook at DavidCookTFP.