Special to The Truth
Frederick D. Haynes, III, DMin, was formally installed as the president and CEO of Rainbow PUSH Coalition on Thursday, February 1, 2024, at the Black Academy of Arts and Letters in Dallas, TX. The sold-out installation event came six months after the announcement of Haynes as Rev. Jesse Jackson’s successor during Rainbow PUSH Coalition’s national convention. VIP program participants and attendees came to Dallas from all over the country, including Roland Martin, Rev. Al Sharpton (NAN); Shavonne Arline-Bradley (NCNW); Michael Sorrell, EdD; Amos Brown, DMin and Ron Daniels, PhD, among others. Tashara Parker, 4X Emmy award-winning journalist, served as the mistress of ceremonies.
The very next day, Friday, February 2, 2024, Rainbow PUSH Coalition hosted the President’s Inaugural Social Justice Conference at Paul Quinn College, Rev. Jesse Jackson was in attendance at both the
installation and conference. The formal installation ceremony and the President’s Inaugural Social Justice Conference was presented by Sound Design Studios, a Dallas based Black owned production company.
The Rainbow PUSH Coalition President’s Inaugural Social Justice Conference was a call to action as well as a reminder that the fight for social justice is far from over and requires the collective effort of every individual to bring about meaningful change.
Speakers included author and activist Tamika Mallory; lead pastor and executive director Pastor Mike McBride; preacher, scholar and researcher Rev. Brianna K. Parker, DMin, pastor, author, and activist Rev. Tisha Dixon Williams; civil rights and social policy advocate, attorney, and CEO Jennifer Jones Austin; author, activist, and educator Former Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr.; and
Haynes himself. Sessions include the Social Justice Master Class, Creating Economic Structures that are Just, the Disinherited Conference, and Curriculum for the 2024 Election, the last of which is applicable for churches, organizations, and individuals.
Haynes, a 2016 inductee to the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame, is already focused on making positive change in his new role, with a national agenda to address issues with courts, the end of affirmative action, economic justice, educational equity and justice, and the effects
of climate change on communities of color. Dr. Haynes is best known as a social justice pastor and advocate for marginalized communities. Known nationally as “the drum major for justice,” he has modeled his ministry and leadership like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., focused on the intersections of faith and justice.
Haynes has received numerous awards and honors for his ministry and activism, which match his agenda. In 2011, Dr. Haynes had the prestigious honor of being the featured speaker at The Congressional Black Caucus’ Annual Prayer Breakfast. In 2012, Ebony Magazine named him to its Power 100 list of most influential African Americans. He was also inducted into the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame. In 2013, Haynes was honored to give remarks at the memorial service of one of the most respected world leaders of the 20th and 21st centuries, President Nelson Mandela. As a reflection of his commitment to community transformation and social consciousness, Dr. Haynes serves in various leadership capacities in organizations that champion social change and education. In 2003, he founded the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference along with Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr. DMin, and Iva E. Carruthers, DMin. Haynes is on the board of the Conference of National Black Churches, the National Action Network, and the IC3 Church Growth and Development Conference.
The installation’s location in Dallas holds great significance not just to Haynes, but the greater Dallas community which he has faithfully served and poured into for decades. In addition to this new role at the helm of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, Haynes is the senior pastor of Friendship-West Baptist Church, a megachurch in Dallas, Texas, with more than 13,000 members. The location of the conference at Paul Quinn College also holds significance for Haynes.
He teaches college courses and workshops at several institutions of higher learning, including Paul Quinn College. Haynes also serves on the Board of Trustees for Paul Quinn College as well as various other boards, particularly those in underserved and minority communities. Additionally, he is the namesake of the Dr. Frederick D. Haynes, III Global Preparatory School, located on the campus of Paul Quinn College, which serves students grades 6-12 who seek to enter the International Baccalaureate program.
###