Vivian had deep impact on our area

I am writing to thank the Daily Herald for its coverage on the passing of the Rev. Cordy Tindell Vivian, a historical figure, minister, and author, with whom I was honored to serve the Civil Rights Movement, both nationally and in the state of Illinois.

Rev. Vivian and I had the privilege of working alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the turbulent decade that was the 1960s. I served as president of the Chicago Metropolitan Chapter and as a National Board Member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the only organization led by Dr. King during his lifetime. In this role, I reported directly to Rev. Vivian, the National Director of Affiliates and Chapters for the SCLC.

Rev. Vivian and I, along with noted musician and entrepreneur, Ben Branch, Al Raby, Convenor of Community Organizations, Rev. Fred Shuttleworth, adviser to Dr. King and Rev. Al Sampson, a leading Chicago activist and civil rights minister, joined Dr. King in planning the Chicago Campaign of the National Civil Rights Movement.

During his days at Western Illinois University, which we both attended at differing times, Rev. Vivian joined SCLC and became a close adviser to Dr. King. With his family, Rev. Vivian had relocated to Illinois from the state of Missouri to escape overt hate, racism, and discrimination.

Rev. Vivian was instrumental in planning demonstrations led by Dr. King in Chicago's Marquette Park, an event that was more violent than any that had occurred in the southern states and where a brick thrown by a member of a white mob nearly killed Dr. King. During this period. Rev. Lawler, a Catholic priest in the city, was leading a movement to keep blacks from moving west of Chicago's Ashland Boulevard.

During Rev. Vivian's leadership in Chicago, then Mayor Richard Daley, Sr. unsuccessfully attempted to persuade him to encourage Dr. King to end demonstrations in the city. These efforts brought Dr. King and Mayor Daley together in a series of meetings which resulted in the creation of the Metropolitan Leadership Council for Open Housing, an organization that took the Village of Arlington Heights to court, an action that was eventually heard by the United States Supreme Court, charging housing discrimination.

Rev. Vivian was successful in reaching an agreement with the real estate entities to cease racial steering, a program designed to frighten whites into fleeing Chicago communities where blacks were beginning to integrate.

President Obama honored Rev. Vivian for his lifetime work addressing racism in America. The leadership Rev. Vivian provided across the state of Illinois, led the city of Macomb to name a major street after him. Rev. Vivian and his voice of reason will be deeply missed.

Rev. Clyde H. Brooks

Arlington Heights