Cecil Murray, Longtime Pastor of First AME Church, Dies at 94
Rev. Dr. Cecil L. “Chip” Murray, who served as pastor of the First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Los Angeles for 27 years, has died. He was 94.
Murray died of natural causes Friday night at his home in the View Park-Windsor Hills neighborhood of L.A. County, his son Drew Murray told the Los Angeles Times.
As senior minister of First AME, L.A.’s oldest Black-founded church, from 1977 to 2004, Murray helped grow its congregation from 250 to more than 18,000 members. Many politicians visited the church while Murray was in charge, including former presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton and actor and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
“Today we lost a giant. Reverend Dr. Cecil Murray dedicated his life to service, community, and putting God first in all things,” L.A. Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement. “I had the absolute honor of working with him, worshipping with him, and seeking his counsel. My heart is with the First AME congregation and community today as we reflect on a legacy that changed this city forever.”
Murray was also a civil rights pioneer and community activist, who gained national attention amid the 1992 L.A. riots between late April and early May.
“We are not proud that we set those fires, but we’d like to make a distinction to America this morning about the difference between setting a fire and starting a fire,” Murray told his congregation on May 3, 1992. “We set some of those fires, but we didn’t start any of those fires. Those fires were started when some men of influence decided that this nation can indeed exist half slave and half free. Those fires were started when some men poured gasoline on the Constitution of the United States of America.”
In relation to the entertainment industry, Murray networked with celebrities and companies who offered help during and immediately after the L.A. riots, including Arsenio Hall, Barbra Streisand and Disney, according to the L.A. Times. In 1995, Murray hosted rapper Eazy-E’s (née Eric Wright) memorial service.
Murray was born on Sept. 26, 1929, in Lakeland, Fla. He graduated from Florida A&M University in 1951 and joined the U.S. Airforce; he retired as a reserve major in 1958. Murray earned a PhD in religion from the School of Theology at Claremont College in 1964.
After his tenure at First AME, Murray served as chair of Christian Ethics in the School of Religion at USC and chair of the Cecil Murray Center for Community Engagement from 2005 to 2022.
Murray is survived by son Drew, niece Tammie Murray, nephews Anthony Murray and Kevin Murray, grand niece April Cohee, and grand nephews Isaiah Murray and Corey Murray. His wife, Bernadine, died in 2013.
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