Cecil L. Murray
Los Angeles, CA
Reverend Cecil L. Murray was born on September 26, 1929 in Lakeland, Florida to Janie Belle Williams Murray and Edward Wilder Murray, Sr.
Murray earned his undergraduate degree from Florida A&M University, but joined the United States Air Force after graduation where he served during the Korean War as a jet radar intercept officer in the Air Defense Command and as a navigator in the Air Transport Command. Murray retired as a reserve major in 1958 after ten years and was decorated with a Soldier's Medal of Valor. After he left the U.S. Air Force, Murray attended the School of Theology at Claremont College in California, where he earned his Ph.D. in religion.
Murray's first church was in Pomona, California, where he helped grow a congregation of just twelve members to a group of 150. He then served at Trinity A.M.E. in Kansas City from 1966 to 1971, then at the First African Methodist Episcopal (FAME) Church in Seattle, and Los Angeles' FAME Church in 1977 after Bishop H.H. Brookins recruited him to join. Murray retired as Senior Pastor from the FAME church on September 25, 2004. In 2005, Murray became a senior fellow at the Center for Religion and Civic Culture (CRCC) and has since worked as a liaison to the Los Angeles area, as well as to African American and Latino constituents. He has also worked on the "Passing the Mantle" project, which aims to train clergy from African American churches across California in effective community development and organizing skills.
Murray was interviewed by: The History Makers on October 3, 2005.
