Oral history interview with Prathia LauraAnn Hall, 1999.

Biographical Note

Prathia Hall (1940-2002), was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was the daughter of Reverend Berkley Hall. Together, her parents raised four children and maintained and an active ministry in their North Philadelphia community. Her parents’ community engagement inspired Hall to participate in the civil rights movement. She attended predominantly white schools in Center City and Temple University for her undergraduate degree, where she was associated with Philadelphia's Fellowship House. After completing college, Hall went south to participate in civil rights actions. She participated in the Freedom Rides (Highway 40 project) and worked with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in Albany, Georgia to register voters and promote literacy. She is credited with giving Martin Luther King, Jr. the phrase "I Have A Dream." Hall received her Master of Divinity, Master of Theology and her PhD degrees from Princeton University before becoming a Baptist minister. She became pastor of her father's church, Mt. Sharon Baptist Church, specializing in womanist theology, ethics, and the history of the African American church. Hall was also Boston University's School of Theology's Martin Luther King. Jr. Chair in Social Ethics. She had a daughter, Simone Wynn, and a son, Dubois Wynn

Scope and Contents

In this interview with Sheila Michaels, Prathia Hall discusses her family life, her work during the civil rights movement, and the role of the Black church in the Black community. Hall discusses her parent's ministry in their North Philadelphia neighborhood, the individuals affected by her parents’ community work, and her relationship with her mother and father. Hall describes the influence her father's philosophy had on her choices during his life and upon his death in 1960. She also expresses her belief that Reverend Hall would have been proud of her work during the civil rights movement. In discussing her participation in movement from the summer of 1962, Hall details the training she received, the activities in which she engaged, and leadership figures she worked with, including Constance Baker Motley, Julian Bond and Charles Sherrod. Hall also notes other students and activists with whom she worked including Penny Patch and Faith Holsaert, and the families with whom they lived during the Albany, Georgia campaign. Hall recounts her experiences in Albany. She describes her mother's reaction to her activism. She explains her belief that her generation failed to pass the torch that would have kept the next generation vigilant about racism. Lastly, Hall describes the role of the Black church in developing the self-esteem of Black children

Subjects

• African American churches.
• African American clergy.
• African Americans--Religion.
• African Americans--Suffrage--Georgia.
• Civil rights movements--United States--History--20th century.
• Civil rights workers--Georgia--History--20th century.
• Hall, Prathia LauraAnn--Interviews.
• Interviews.
• Michaels, Sheila, 1939-2017, interviewer.
• Oral histories.
• United States--Race relations--History--20th century.