National Black Presbyterian Caucus honors the Rev. J. Oscar McCloud

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MILWAUKEE — For a man who has dedicated his life to guiding others, an exuberant evening designed to recognize his faithful service and enduring impact became yet another teachable moment for the Rev. J. Oscar McCloud.

Dispensing hard-won wisdom born of struggle to many whose lives he helped — or would soon help — shape, McCloud embodied the very qualities praised by his presenters.

An ordained PC(USA) minister, civil rights worker and administrator, McCloud recently published his memoir, "I Dared to Hope," just two days before his 90th birthday on April 11. 

After a childhood as a sharecropper in rural Georgia, McCloud attended Boggs Academy and Warren Wilson College before graduating with a degree in sociology from Berea College. After earning a master's in divinity from Union Theological Seminary in New York in 1961, McCloud assumed a critical role in the civil rights movement.

Among those gathered to celebrate their mentor and friend at the 227th General Assembly (2026) were the Rev. Gregory J. Bentley, Moderator of the 224th General Assembly (2020), pastor of Fellowship Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama, and president of the National Black Presbyterian Caucus (NBPC).

In his opening remarks at Saturday's event, Bentley also invoked a spirit of struggle. 

“The NBPC was founded at a turbulent time in our country to bear witness against the scourge of racism and to be advocates for representation of Black Americans in the PC(USA),” Bentley said. “We have striven to stay with that vision into the present age.”

Bentley cited a timely overture [RAC-01], encouraged by the NBPC, that “takes a deep dive into the harm that has been done to Black people in the PC(USA).” 

“Now is the time for us to correct many of the historic wrongs that have happened,” he said of the overture that will come before the assembly.

Following Bentley, the Rev. Jermaine Ross-Allam, director of the Center for the Repair of Historic Harms for Presbyterian Life & Witness, elaborated on both the overture and the occasion.

“Sometimes we fail to take the opportunity to acknowledge and show respect to those living ancestors who are around us,” Ross-Allam said. “It is a blessing to do so when they are around us and to glean as much wisdom as we possibly can for the rough but promising road ahead of us.”

Before McCloud was called up to the dais to receive his NBPC award, the Rev. CeCe Armstrong, Co-Moderator of the 226th General Assembly (2024), spoke briefly about how she, too, was molded by McCloud.

“His small voice of ‘keep going’ and the push and nudge on my back got me to where I am today,” she said.

Introduced by Bentley, McCloud confessed to being “overwhelmed by this recognition.”

“I have struggled with these few comments that I would make,” he said. “Some of them are about the book so that you would leave here informed about it.”

Professing not to be a writer, he reminded the gathering that everyone has a story.

“You owe it to your children, your grandchildren and future generations to leave your story recorded,” he said. “I encourage Black ministers to give their papers to the Presbyterian Historical Society. If you die, you don’t know what’s going to happen to the papers in your desk drawer.” 

In fact, the esteemed pastor, educator and activist practiced what he preached.

PHS, the national archives of the PC(USA), recently added the J. Oscar McCloud Papers to its library collection shelves.

“I want to thank the NBPC,” McCloud said in closing, before a short time for questions. “Both [my wife] Kathy and I are uniquely honored by this evening.”

The first question he took following an enthusiastic ovation was how he would encourage young leaders.

“Get as much education as you can get; learn how to think for yourself; talk to an adult you admire and ask them how did they get there,” said McCloud. “God didn’t give you a mind to sleep on it. He gave you a mind to use it.”