Bishop J.O. Patterson Jr. Son SPEAKS OUT After Years Of His DEATH

He was mayor of Memphis for only 20 days. But Bishop J.O. Patterson Jr. left a mark on American history that has lasted decades. In this documentary-style video, we trace the full life of Bishop James Oglethorpe Patterson Jr. (1935–2011): the grandson of Church of God in Christ (COGIC) founder Bishop Charles Harrison Mason, the son of COGIC's first elected presiding bishop, an attorney, a state legislator, a five-term Memphis city councilman, the first African American to hold the office of Mayor of Memphis, and a bishop who chaired the church's General Assembly for nearly eleven years. You'll discover how his family's Mason Temple became the setting for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s final speech, why Patterson is remembered as a voice of reason during the 1968 Memphis sanitation workers' strike, and the real meaning behind the phrase "first Black mayor of Memphis," including how it differs from Willie Herenton's historic election in 1991. We also correct common myths about his age at death, his title, and his role in the strike, so you get the verified facts. If you love Black history, church history, civil rights history, or stories about leaders who changed their cities without chasing the spotlight, this one is for you. #BishopJOPattersonJr #COGIC #ChurchOfGodInChrist #MemphisHistory #BlackHistory #FirstBlackMayor #MasonTemple #CivilRights #1968MemphisStrike #IAmAMan #BlackChurchHistory #UntoldHistory