Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson
Reverend, W. Franklyn Richardson was born on June 14, 1949 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania’s Westside. His father William Franklyn Richardson Sr. worked in the meat packing district, and his mother Amanda Richardson owned a beauty parlor. Richardson is the eldest of four and grew up anchored in the church. He attended West Philadelphia High School and obtained his B.A. degree from Virginia Union University in Richmond, Virginia. In 1975, he earned his master of sacred theology from Yale University, and his doctorate as a Wyatt Tee Walker Fellow from the United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio.
At the age of eighteen Richardson delivered his first sermon at Community Baptist Church in Philadelphia, where he was issued a license to preach. By the age of nineteen, Richardson was subsequently, full-time pastor of Rising Mount Zion Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia and St. James Baptist Church in Varina, Virginia. In 1975, Richardson delivered his trial sermon at Grace Baptist Church in Mount Veron, New York, a year later he was selected to serve at Grace as senior pastor. In 1976, Grace Baptist Church hosted the New Year’s Eve Watch Night service aired on national radio opposite the New Year’s Eve service hosted by the pope. The following year, Grace’s Christmas service aired on CBS (coordinated by actor Ossie Davis). In 1982, Richardson became the host of WVOX, 1460 radio broadcasted nationally every Sunday morning. He is the founder of, “Windows of Grace”, Grace in Port St. Lucie Florida, and the Freedom School. Richardson has been selected by Al Sharpton to serve as chairman of the National Action Network. As chairman, his responsibilities included leading the organization on raising the consciousness of African-Americans.
Richardson has been inducted into the Martin Luther King, Jr., Board of Preachers at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. He has also been elected as General Secretary for the National Baptist Convention United States of America, Inc. Richardson has served on the World Council of Churches Central Committee, the Ujamaa community development corporation and the Harvard University Divinity School Summer Leadership Institute. He has been presented with the Red Cross Award and in 2010, delivered a sermon at Saint Matthew Anglican Church in Soweto, South Africa. Richardson currently resides in Scarsdale, New York. He is married to Inez Nunnally Richardson; they are the parents of two adult children and the grandparents of four.
A2012.122
Male
5/18/2012
Richardson
Married
Franklyn
West Philadelphia High School
Virginia Union University
Yale Divinity School
United Theological Seminary
Thaddeus Stevens Elementary School
Belmont Charter School
Hardy Williams Academy
Community College of Philadelphia
W.
Philadelphia
RIC16
Spring
Pennsylvania
Monte Carlo, France
My, My, My, My, My.

New York
6/14/1949
New York
USA
Fried Chicken
Religious leader Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson (1949 - ) was the senior pastor of the Grace Baptist Church and the chairman of the National Action Network.
Grace Baptist Church
National Action Network
West Park Hospital
Hankins Funeral Home, Inc.
Rising Mount Zion Baptist Church
Conference of National Black Churches
Blue
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642070">Tape: 1 Slating of Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson's interview</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642071">Tape: 1 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson lists his favorites</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642072">Tape: 1 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson describes his mother's family background, pt. 1</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642073">Tape: 1 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson describes his mother's family background, pt. 2</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642074">Tape: 1 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson talks about his mother's upbringing and career</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642075">Tape: 1 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson describes his father's family background, pt. 1</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642076">Tape: 1 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson describes his father's family background, pt. 2</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642077">Tape: 1 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson describes his father's education and professions</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642078">Tape: 2 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson describes how his parents met</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642079">Tape: 2 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson remembers his brother</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642080">Tape: 2 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson talks about his sister's acting career</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642081">Tape: 2 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson describes his parents' personalities and who he takes after</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642082">Tape: 2 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson describes his childhood home</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642083">Tape: 2 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson describes the sights, sounds and smells of his childhood</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642084">Tape: 2 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson remembers his childhood pastimes</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642085">Tape: 2 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson describes his early experiences of religion</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642086">Tape: 2 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson remembers the African American community in West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642087">Tape: 2 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson describes his early education</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642088">Tape: 3 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson describes his conditional admission to Virginia Union University</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642089">Tape: 3 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson describes the Community Baptist Church of West Philadelphia in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642090">Tape: 3 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson describes the Civil Rights Movement in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642091">Tape: 3 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson recalls his early involvement with the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642092">Tape: 3 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson describes his experiences at West Philadelphia High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642093">Tape: 3 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson remembers his calling to the ministry</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642094">Tape: 3 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson describes his experiences at Virginia Union University in Richmond, Virginia</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642095">Tape: 3 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson recalls how he came to pastor the Rising Mount Zion Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642096">Tape: 3 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson remembers the assassination of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642097">Tape: 4 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson talks about the formation of the Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc., pt. 1</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642098">Tape: 4 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson talks about the formation of the Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc., pt. 2</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642099">Tape: 4 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson recalls his professors at Virginia Union University in Richmond, Virginia</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642100">Tape: 4 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson describes his organizational activities at Virginia Union University</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642101">Tape: 4 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson remembers Reverend Dr. Wyatt Tee Walker</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642102">Tape: 4 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson remembers Reverend Gardner Taylor</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642103">Tape: 4 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson describes how he came to pastor the Grace Baptist Church in Mount Vernon, New York</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642104">Tape: 4 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson talks about the history of the Grace Baptist Church</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642105">Tape: 4 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson recalls his admission to the Yale Divinity School</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642106">Tape: 5 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson remembers the Yale Divinity School in New Haven, Connecticut</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642107">Tape: 5 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson talks about his graduate degrees</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642108">Tape: 5 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson remembers his seminary professors</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642109">Tape: 5 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson describes his affiliation with the Morehouse College Board of Ministers and Laity</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642110">Tape: 5 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson recalls his appointment to the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642111">Tape: 5 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson talks about the Grace Baptist Church in Port Saint Lucie, Florida</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642112">Tape: 5 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson describes the Grace Children's Defense Fund Freedom Schools</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642113">Tape: 6 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson talks about the National Action Network</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642114">Tape: 6 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson talks about the shooting of Trayvon Martin, pt. 1</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642115">Tape: 6 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson talks about the shooting of Trayvon Martin, pt. 2</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642116">Tape: 6 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson describes the role of the Conference of National Black Churches</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642117">Tape: 6 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson talks about the theology of storefront churches</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642118">Tape: 6 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson shares his stance on gay marriage</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642119">Tape: 6 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson describes his hopes and concerns for the African American community</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642120">Tape: 7 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson talks about his board memberships</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642121">Tape: 7 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson describes the Our Faith Empowers program</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642122">Tape: 7 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson talks about the notable members of the Grace Baptist Church in Mount Vernon, New York</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642123">Tape: 7 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson talks about Grace Baptist Church's webcasts</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642124">Tape: 7 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson talks about the Virginia Union University Board of Trustees</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642125">Tape: 7 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson reflects upon his life</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642126">Tape: 7 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson reflects upon his legacy</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642127">Tape: 7 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson talks about his family</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/642128">Tape: 7 Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson describes how he would like to be remembered</a>
1$1
5$3
7$6