HISTORY

The Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis is a fellowship of pastors and other concerned citizens who are God-fearing people who believe injustice, racism, ageism, class-ism and sexism to be contrary to the will of God.  

As the civil rights movement advanced in the 1950’s and the 1960’s nationally, it also came to Indianapolis.  Again, the crucial role of the clergy in our community was to be tested in identifying deplorable conditions and coordinating efforts to bring about desired changes.  To meet this challenge, Pastors, Rev. C. V. Jetter, Rev. Andrew J. Brown, Rev. Mozel Sanders led the clergy to found this organization in 1960 with the aim of bringing together the resources of the spiritual community with that of legislative and political leaders, labor, attorneys, to effect social and economic fairness in Indianapolis. 

That small but enthusiastic group of clergy and activists went to work developing ways to eliminate, where possible and to moderate in any case, the injustices that are inflicted upon the people by economic, political, legal and educational systems.  The actions to improve economic benefits in the community range from the early effort to keep grocery stores and jobs in the community, programs that led to African Americans being hired at Navel Avionics and as managers in grocery stores and Midwest National Bank to today’s efforts to support equality of opportunity for local employment and jobs.  

The fundamental delivery of quality education has been and remains a critical concern because it is a building block to success for African-Americans and our children.  The Clergy was present to assist and to protect our students as they were bussed out of their communities to the townships to the present threat of un-sound charter school policies and the unwarranted depletion of the public school fund that threaten the education of and success of our children.  

The Clergy has been in the forefront of the fight against the devastating impact of drugs and lack of employment on our communities – witness the caravans of the 1990’s bringing awareness then as it does now to the rising death and incarceration rates of African American youth.  Our members have been and are engaged in efforts to prevent unnecessary deaths and the reform police services in the community - the reformation of the Citizens Review Board among other efforts to improve hiring and training of officers.  Equally significant to a community and the Clergy is political awareness.  We are proud of our education and information programs that have significantly increased voter participation in the African American and poor communities resulting in increased representation in local, state and federal offices.  

All of the Clergy’s endeavors or claims of success cannot be listed here, but we are committed to our purpose as we seek to be God’s active and vocal instruments in calling upon these systems to pursue justice for and the welfare of all citizens.