Detroit's religious and political legacy in the mayor's race
A prominent pastor's presence in the Detroit mayor's race is reigniting conversations about melding faith and governance.
Why it matters: Detroit's Black churches and religious leaders have long played meaningful roles in politics and activism, from the Civil Rights Movement, on City Council in recent decades and to present day.
The question is what kind of experience, inside or outside government, will resonate with voters in this mayoral election.
State of play: The Rev. Solomon Kinloch Jr. has not served in public office, spending much of his career growing Detroit-based Triumph Church from dozens of members to 40,000.
Either Kinloch's unique history in this race gives him the necessary " vision and moral leadership," as UAW president Shawn Fain recently said, or he's an outsider who would need " on-the-job training," according to fellow candidate Fred Durhal.
What they're saying: Mario Morrow, a political consultant and the president of a local communications firm, tells Axios many voters want someone with a relationship with God. He says some negativity around Kinloch's being a pastor comes out of campaigning tactics — but it's still a dynamic that the candidate has to make sure voters understand.
Morrow urges voters to focus less on the experience dynamic and more on who can solve Detroiters' issues.
The Rev. Wendell Anthony, a pastor and president of the Detroit NAACP branch, tells Axios that having someone who can "hit the ground running" will benefit the city during this pivotal time.
Kinloch tells Axios that he saw as a young man the way pastors, including activist the Rev. C.L. Franklin, instilled economic and social consciousness and provided services for their communities.
"The church is still … the heart of many people, particularly in the African American community, because … we've always turned to the church for not just spirituality, but for any type of equity, any type of fight against injustice," he says.
People want someone to rebuild voters' lost trust in career politicians, Kinloch says.
He has said he plans to continue with Triumph while mayor. He said in Local 4's debate that he will be a full-time mayor, "that will go to church on Sunday, and when he goes to church on Sunday, he will preach."
Another candidate in the mayoral race, City Council President Mary Sheffield, is the daughter of a pastor and activist, the Rev. Horace Sheffield III. She was previously an assistant pastor and says she still ministers when people ask and she's able.
"As a young kid, I grew up in the church. It was a foundation, it was a staple in the community. … It really helped shape and mold me into who I am today," the 12-year City Council member tells Axios.
As for the question of experience, Sheffield says, "Detroiters will decide what they think is best." But ultimately, she adds, experience matters when a person can change other people's lives.
The connection is also reflected in her plans, which include a faith-based development initiative.
Pastors of the past
Detroit has a long history of pastors involved in governance.
Zoom out:"A lot of them were in leadership when we did not have so many African Americans in positions of power," says Anthony.
"They were kind of alone, taking positions and standing up. So they brought a stamina and determination that they had a cause much greater than themselves. … Today, a lot of us stand on their shoulders."
Read about some here:
Politician and religious leader the Rev. Nicholas Hood Sr. was pastor of Plymouth United Church of Christ from 1958 until the mid-1980s, according to the Detroit News. Meanwhile, he was elected to City Council in 1965, serving nearly 30 years and becoming an activist against discrimination and displacement. He was seen as a pillar of both the church and city hall communities, per his obituary, and had been the city's second Black city council member.
Hood died in 2016 at age 92.
The Rev. JoAnn Watson, the late activist and religious and political leader with an expansive resume, was on City Council from 2003 to 2013. She was the first woman executive director of the NAACP's Detroit branch and served as a pastor at West Side Unity Church, starting as an associate pastor in 2009.
When she died two years ago, Sheffield called her a "one-of-a-kind freedom fighter who loved her people and the Lord," per the Free Press.
Hood's son, Nicholas Hood III, has been senior pastor of Plymouth United since the mid-1980s. He served on City Council for two terms starting in 1994. He ran for mayor, but was not successful in the primary.
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