Every Sunday, worshippers at the historic Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church sit in the very same pews installed in the sanctuary in 1889.
On Sunday, Sept. 14, those in the pews will be part of the church’s 71st annual Women’s Day observance, which begins at 10:30 a.m. They’ll hear from Beverly Black, this year’s featured speaker.
A nationally recognized advocate in social justice, women’s rights and higher education, Black has been engaged in global ministry for almost two decades, serving citizens across the world.
Days before she speaks from Dexter’s historic pulpit, Black will be in Chicago to accept a National TRIO Achiever Award, joining the ranks of the Rev. – and U.S. senator – Raphael Warnock; U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams; and actress, producer and EGOT winner Viola Davis.
The award’s originator, the Council for Opportunity in Education, noted that Black has founded alumni groups, established scholarships and led major initiatives to serve historically marginalized communities. Federal TRIO programs enable low-income and first-generation college students, veterans, and others to excel in higher education.
Black, a global sales professional with Delta Air Lines, is a first-generation college graduate. She holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communication from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and proudly shares membership in the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority with civil-rights trailblazers such as Rosa Parks and Coretta Scott King.
Women’s Day is an annual event to honor the women of the church and an opportunity to raise funds for its support. Immediately following the Women’s Day observance, a reception will be held in Dexter’s Legacy Center, adjacent to the church at 455 Washington Ave.
For more information, visit dexterkingmemorial.org/womens-day-2025/ or contact Sarah Spell via email, phone or text at Spell1885@gmail.com | 337-212-0167 (cell).
