1980
At the urging of UUA President the Rev. O. Eugene Pickett and the Urban
Church Coalition, consultants conduct a racism audit of the Unitarian
Universalist Association that makes 32 recommendations for addressing racism internally.
1980
The Rev. Mark D. Morrison-Reed's groundbreaking book,
Black Pioneers in a White Denomination,
opens eyes about the history of racial injustice in the denomination.
1981
The UUA Board of Trustees resolves "to eliminate racism in all its
institutional structures, policies, practices, and patterns of behavior,
so that it will become a racially equitable institution and can make an
effective contribution toward achieving a similarly equitable society." For the
first time, it institutes an affirmative action policy.
1982
The UUA launches the Whitney Young Jr. Urban Ministry Fund to aid struggling
urban congregations, develop leaders for urban ministry, provide funds
for ethnically and racially diverse new congregations, and promote cooperation
among urban and suburban congregations.
1983
The elected Commission on Appraisal publishes its study
Empowerment: One Denomination's Quest for Racial Justice,
1967-1982.
1985
The General Assembly votes to recommend that the UUA establish a Black Concerns Working Group to help congregations learn about racism and fight it.
1986
The Black Concerns Working Group is established with an initial budget of $5,000.
1986
The first UUA seminar on racism, the forerunner of today's Jubilee
World workshops, is conducted in Columbia, SC.
1987
The number of people of color among UU ministers reaches 15, up from 8 in 1968.
1987
The Rev. Melvin A. Hoover, now director of the UUA's Faith in Action
Department, joins the association as director of urban and international
ministries with primary focus on combating racism.
1988
African American UU Ministers is established as an independent affiliate
of the UUA. The association launches efforts to recruit more ministers
of color.
1989
Morrison-Reed's curriculum How Open the Door is published to help congregations
explore the past and current role of African Americans in UU churches.
1992
At General Assembly, UUA President the Rev. William F. Schulz calls
for the denomination to increase its racial and cultural diversity, and
delegates approve a resolution calling for the same thing. In response,
the UUA board appoints a Racial and Cultural Diversity Task Force.
1992
The UU Network for Indigenous Affairs is formed to encourage UUs to
learn about the values and spiritual perspectives of native peoples.
1992
The UUA hires Crossroads Ministries, an interfaith group, to help it
develop and conduct antiracism trainings.
1993
More than 50 UU leaders meet in St. Louis and reach consensus that
integration and efforts to diversify have not ended racism and that the
UUA should focus on antiracism. The group embraces the concept of white
privilege.
1993
The General Assembly includes a daylong program, Racial Justice: For
Such a Time as This. Delegates approve a resolution calling UUs to support
local indigenous peoples and for the association to provide programs and
curricula and to review investment policies in light of indigenous peoples'
concerns.
1994
African Americans and their supporters at General Assembly in Charlotte,
NC, protest plans for a Colonial-era costume ball, asking whether African
Americans should come dressed as slaves and fueling interest in antiracism
efforts.
1995
The Latino/a Unitarian Universalist Networking Association (LUUNA) is formed.
1996
The Racial and Cultural Diversity Task Force report Journey toward
Wholeness is presented to General Assembly, which votes to urge that "UU
congregations, districts, organizations and professional and lay leaders
participate in a reflection/action process throughout the 1996-97 church
year" leading to a new resolution the following year.
1996
To help link all its antioppression efforts, the UUA combines its Department
for Social Justice and the Offices for Racial and Cultural Diversity and
Diversity Resources into the Department for Faith in Action.
1996
The UUA board votes that the association "will work to ensure initial
settlements or appointments for ministers of color," and money is set aside
for this purpose.
1997
The General Assembly approves a resolution entitled Toward an Anti-Racist
Unitarian Universalist Association, requiring the UUA board to "establish
a committee to monitor and assess our transformation as an antiracist,
multicultural institution"; the board establishes the Journey Toward Wholeness
Transformation Committee, consisting of laypeople and ministers with UUA
staff liaisons. The UUA's antiracism program adopts the name Journey toward
Wholeness (JTW).
1997
Diverse and Revolutionary Unitarian Universalist Multicultural Ministries
(DRUUMM) is formed as a community for UU religious professionals of color.
1998
Fifty UU leaders meet in Columbus, OH, to shape plans for persuading
congregations to take part in antiracism workshops.
1999
At a continental meeting in Kansas City, JTW leaders enlist the support
of major UU groups in developing antiracism plans for the groups' members.
1999
After years of relying on the interfaith Crossroads Ministries to lead
antiracism analysis trainings for UU leaders, the Faith in Action Department
launches a new version of the training incorporating UU theology and history
and led by UUA trainers.
1999
The Presidential Commission on Race recognizes JTW as one of the nation's
100 best racial justice efforts.
2000
Persons of color among UU ministers now number 45, though growth
lags in the number serving parishes. The diverse group includes not only
African Americans but also Latinos, Asians, and Native Americans.
