The Rev. James D. Peters Jr., an icon in Denver’s civil rights group and long-time pastor at New Hope Baptist Church, might be remembered as somebody who stood up for essentially the most susceptible folks within the metropolis.
Peters, who died Saturday at age 92, marched with Martin Luther King Jr. throughout the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, in 1965. He used that legacy to combat for civil rights in Denver when he moved to town in 1978 to function New Hope’s pastor.
He turned a strong voice within the Colorado Democratic Occasion, by no means working for workplace himself however pushing the get together to be extra inclusive of Black folks and providing prayers at political occasions. He beforehand chaired the Colorado Civil Rights Fee.
Peters was New Hope Baptist Church’s pastor till 2006. He got here out of retirement in 2009 to function interim pastor till the Rev. Eugene Downing was employed in 2011, making his whole tenure because the church’s chief practically 30 years. After retirement, Peters served as pastor emeritus till his loss of life.
Whereas Peters knew King and marched with him a variety of instances, the Denver minister did “greater than speak about it,” Downing stated.
“He was a social justice advocate,” Downing stated. “I might describe him as conscientious concerning the marginalized. I might describe him as a person of nice religion. He would put himself at instances in unpopular positions for talking up for the marginalized.”
The Rev. Timothy Tyler, pastor at Shorter Neighborhood AME Church in Denver, received to know Peters after the 2010 loss of life of Marvin Booker by the hands of Denver Sheriff Division deputies. Booker was a homeless road preacher who was killed contained in the Downtown Detention Middle when he left his seat to search out his footwear and ignored deputies’ orders to sit down down.
Booker was hit with nunchucks, shocked with a Taser and put in a “sleeper maintain” by 5 deputies, and his loss of life led to widespread protests throughout town due to repeated excessive-force accusations in opposition to Denver deputies. Town paid the Booker household a $6 million settlement.
Peters knew Booker when he was preaching on the streets, Tyler stated. So the minister turned concerned within the push to vary insurance policies on the sheriff’s division within the wake of Booker’s loss of life.
“That went a good distance in serving to us get justice for Marvin Booker,” Tyler stated. “He caught with that case. Rev. Peters had these civil rights chops. He by no means misplaced that fireside.”
Peters got here to Colorado from Connecticut, the place he served as a pastor and took part within the Civil Rights Motion. He attended the founding assembly of the Southern Christian Management Convention, he typically sat with King at fundraising rallies, and he accompanied different northern pastors to rallies and marches within the South.
When Peters got here to Colorado, he rapidly turned energetic within the metropolis’s non secular group, connecting with leaders of different Black church buildings.
That’s how he befriended Bishop Acen Phillips.
The 2 served about 40 years collectively in varied management positions throughout the Baptist church and within the Larger Metro Denver Ministerial Alliance.
Peters believed the teachings of Jesus Christ confirmed that Black and white folks ought to unite to beat racism. He additionally believed in non-violence.
“The politics that created racism all throughout the nation was certainly one of his focuses,” Phillips stated. “He served as a bridge to the Black and white communities to get us to stroll collectively.”
Peters was a Democrat however believed the get together ought to do higher in Denver in its inclusiveness of Black folks. His work was influential, resulting in Denver electing two Black mayors, Wellington Webb and Michael Hancock, Phillips stated.
“Dr. Peters was all the time keen to place himself on the entrance strains,” Phillips stated.
State Sen. Rhonda Fields knew Peters by the Baptist church and she or he sought his help when she determined to run for the Common Meeting after her son’s 2005 homicide. Peters impressed her to maintain going after Javad Marshall-Fields was killed and supplied non secular steering, she stated.
“He was what a pastor must be — caring for the folks,” Fields stated. “He did that for lots of people. I’m not distinctive.”
Outdoors of the ministry and the Civil Rights Motion, Peters beloved sports activities, particularly baseball. He held Rockies and Broncos season tickets, Phillips stated. The 2 pastors had been nice pals, celebrating little issues in life, akin to new automobiles and serving to one another navigate private crises.
“It doesn’t matter what I used to be going by, Dr. James Peters was by my facet,” Phillips stated.
A viewing for Peters might be held at 6 p.m. Friday and his funeral might be held at 11 a.m. Saturday. Each occasions will happen at New Hope Baptist Church, 3701 Colorado Blvd.
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