T. J. Jemison | |
|---|---|
 Jemison in 1983 | |
| Born | August 1, 1918 Selma, Alabama, U.S. |
| Died | November 15, 2013 (aged 95) Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Resting place | Green Oaks Memorial Park in Baton Rouge |
| Alma mater | Alabama State University New York University |
| Occupation(s) | Clergyman, civil rights activist |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Widower since 2010 |
| Children | Diane Jemison Pollard Bettye Wagner |
Theodore Judson Jemison (August 1, 1918 – November 15, 2013), better known as T. J. Jemison, was the president of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. from 1982 to 1994. It is the largest African-American religious organization. He oversaw the construction of the Baptist World Center in Nashville, Tennessee, the headquarters of his convention.
In 1953, while minister of a large church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Jemison helped lead the first civil rights boycott of segregated seating in public bus service. The organization of free rides, coordinated by churches, was a model used later in 1955–1956 by the Montgomery bus boycott in Alabama.[1] Jemison was one of the founders of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1957.
In 2003, the 50th anniversary of the Baton Rouge bus boycott was honored with three days of events in the city. These were organized by a young resident born two decades after the action.[1]