Rev. William Lawson, civil rights leader and longtime Houston pastor, dies at 95, church says

Rev. William Lawson a long-time civil rights advocate and founder of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church in Houston, has died, according to an obituary posted on the church’s website. He was 95.

Rev. William Lawson, a long-time civil rights advocate and founder of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church in Houston, has died, according to an obituary posted on the church’s website. He was 95. Lawson was known as “Houston’s Pastor;” a trusted voice in the community who ushered the city through times of crisis and change. In 1962, he founded the Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church where he was the pastor for more than 40 years. He later joined the civil rights movement led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whom he considered to be a close friend, the church’s obituary stated. Lawson also set up a local chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), a civil rights organization that was instrumental during the civil rights movement. “Lawson, in particular, was known to help build bridges between the powerful and the powerless, as a champion of social justice and community service,” the church posted. Houston Mayor John Whitmire held a moment of silence at Houston City Hall on Tuesday to honor Lawson. He encouraged Houstonians to “strive for a fair, safe, and equal Houston in his honor and memory.”