The Rev. Dr. Jeffery Joseph Sr., the founding pastor of New Heaven Missionary Baptist Church in Pacoima – which he launched in 1967 – passed away on March 7. He was 96 years old.
The San Fernando Valley Sun/el Sol interviewed Joseph for Black History Month in February, meeting with the beloved pastor at his Pacoima church. He shared highlights from his life before moving to California – from following in his father’s footsteps to become a Baptist preacher in his hometown of Jennings, Louisiana in the late 1940s, to marching for civil rights in the South alongside the Rev. A.D. King, the younger brother of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Joseph, who served as a church pastor for over 77 years, took part in the March on Washington in 1963 and stood about 50 feet away from Dr. King as he recited his powerful “I Have a Dream” speech. Joseph had the opportunity to meet the iconic civil rights leader on several occasions, and even raised funds to help support his work, presenting Dr. King with a check for $7,000.
“My father has been a great man all of his life. He’s done great works,” said Lamoyne Joseph, one of his 13 children, a few weeks before the pastor’s death. “There are a lot of silent heroes that you hear nothing about, but who have done so much.”
Rev. Joseph was honored for his work for civil rights by being presented the pen used by then-Kentucky Gov. Edward T. Breathitt to sign the Kentucky Civil Rights Act of 1966.
The late pastor is survived by 11 of his 13 children, more than 150 grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren, and numerous other family members.
A wake for Rev. Joseph will be held from 12 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. on Friday, March 20, at New Heaven Missionary Baptist Church, located at 13233 Pinney St. in Pacoima.
A“Celebration of Life” in remembrance of the longtime pastor will begin at 12 p.m. on Saturday, March 21, at Second Baptist Church, located at 2412 Griffith Ave. in South Los Angeles.