“I decided early to give my life to something eternal and absolute. Not too little gods…. but to God who is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.”  J. Alfred Smith Sr.

By Rev. Dr. Martha C. Taylor, Allen Temple Baptist Church Historian

Most tributes are written from the writer’s personal perspective of the deceased. My intent is to expand this tribute so that readers feel a sense of shared experiences and admiration.  Pastor Smith had a unique gift of making each person feel as if their relationship with him was deep and personal; making every single one of us feel like the most important person he knew.  To that extent this tribute is written as shared experiences and admiration for a man who was exceptional in his ministry, his mission and his life. To pay tribute to this giant of a man is a high privilege and honor.

The Rev. Dr. J. Alfred Smith Sr., lived a life beyond himself. Using his famous quote, “I wish I could make it plain,” my desire is to make this tribute plain so that the reader can feel Dr. Smith’s compassion, wisdom, his love for the other, his faithful service while he traveled the Jericho Road.

His deep faith was a powerful example to others; affirming a shared hope in God as we recall his lasting legacy. We celebrate his life, his love for the other, and a legacy that few will attain.

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COMMENTARY: We’re Not Letting Anybody Steal Our Joy

Alfred Smith was born May 19, 1931, in Kansas City, Missouri. He was raised by his loving mother, Amy Gates Smith, and his grandmother, Mrs. Martha Henry. He obtained his early education in Kansas City and graduated in 1948 from the R. T. Coles High School. That same year, he was licensed to preach, and in 1951 he was ordained at Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church in Kansas City where he served as assistant pastor for three years.

In 1950, Pastor Smith married the love of his life, Joanna Goodwin. To this union, five beautiful children were added to the family bringing even more joy and happiness. Their marriage lasted until she was called home to be with the Lord on Aug. 12, 2007. Later, The Lord blessed Dr. Smith and Rev. Bernestine Farley in marriage. Together they were powerful ministry partners with a blended family. Rev. Bernie, as she is fondly called, is an ordained minister having served at the Allen Temple Arms I and II.

During the 1950s to ’60s, Dr. Smith pastured various small churches in Missouri He also served for three years as principal of Lincoln Elementary School at Keyesville, Missouri, over a period of 20 years. With a heart to excel, and knowing that God wants his leaders properly equipped to serve the people, he burned the midnight oil and enrolled in several colleges and universities and earned four degrees; a Bachelor of Science in elementary education (1952), Bachelor of Divinity (1959), Masters of Theology in Church and Community (1966), Master’s in American Church History (1972), and a Doctor of Ministry (1975).

In 1971, Dr. Smith was elected senior pastor of Allen Temple Baptist Church. He was elected president of the Progressive Baptist State Convention of California in 1979, and president of the Progressive National Baptist Convention in 1986. Smith joined the teaching faculty at the American Baptist Seminary of the West as professor of Christian Ministries in 1992.

The question that arises at this time is what were some of the human qualities, God-given gifts, his dedication to his calling that impacted his ministry locally and beyond?  Pastor Smith loved to pray; he knew his power and strength came from a deep prayer life with God. His meetings started with prayer, his phone calls ended in prayer, and amazingly, he often would make phone calls and say, “I was just thinking of you, let’s have a word of prayer.”

Dr. Smith did not set out to become famous; however, he became a renowned, celebrated pastor, preacher, professor, prophet, author, and theologian. He has been honored as one of the top Black preachers of America, earned and received countless awards, and was the recipient of hundreds of honoree acknowledgements that would be a small book in itself.

He addressed the United Nations to oppose South African apartheid and preached in pulpits worldwide, never shying away from controversial issues that represent the marginalized. Dr. Smith had a way of attracting people; he led marches that galvanized communities and people of varying nationalities to the steps of City Hall to speak on issues that plague communities. One of his favorite quotes: “To get to the sweet bye and bye you have to deal with the nasty now and now.” Dr. Smith fuels his passionate, prophetic preaching and praying power from his dependence upon God, which started at his mother’s knee, Amy Gates Smith.

Pastor Smith served everyone – from the lonely to high-ranking officials. Like Jesus, he walked with the marginalized with an open-door policy, all were welcome. The powerful often sought wise counsel from him. Pastor Smith preached and taught all over the universe.

Life has many turns; the Rev. Dr. Jacqueline A. Thompson – Allen Temple’s senior pastor – was licensed and ordained by Dr. Smith; she was his daughter in the ministry who became his pastor. They shared a close relationship.

James Ella James said it like this “He was one of the most important people in my life. He was a real friend, brother, trustworthy and very caring person. It is so hard to describe James Alfred Smith. I don’t know anybody like him.”

I believe we all share James Ella James thoughts and feelings about Dr Smith.

He was never too busy to listen; he had a compassionate heart that comforted others. Most of us know he could shed tears at the drop of a hat. He was a wonderful counselor who offered grace and perspective.

After Sunday morning worship, he always went to the narthex, shook hands, and personally greeted people. He told me when you are greeting the people don’t forget to pat the little children on the head and tell them how much they are growing.

The Rev Dr. Otis Moss Jr said Pastor Smith’s preaching, teaching, and leadership commitments did not take him away from human rights struggles. ‘They take him deeper and deeper into the human rights struggles.”

Perhaps one of the outstanding contributions Pastor Smith made in his ministry was not only housing for seniors and HIV AIDS, but he also ensured that women were ordained and preached in the pulpit and elsewhere.

Among those he ordained early on was Rev. Dr. Ella Mitchell. Women from the four corners of America, there are numerous women who owe Dr. Smith a debt of gratitude for embracing them into the ministry.

When Dr. Smith’s health was challenged with a stroke, crippling him, he then preached from a wheelchair. His last sermon at Allen Temple was on Father’s Day, June 15: “A Good Daddy and his two sons.”

On Sept. 19, 2025, the Lord said, “Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant.”

Dr. Smith’s legacy of faith will live on.

All Services will be held on the Allen Temple Baptist Church Campus and will be livestreamed on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, lying in repose from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., followed by an evening of worship and witness on Friday, Oct. 10, Celebration of Life – 11 a.m.

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By Nicole Hoskins

OAKLAND – Westside Missionary Baptist Church hosted a community celebration on Aug. 17 in honor of Pastor Ken Chambers’ 60th birthday, highlighting his decades of service and advocacy for Oakland’s most vulnerable residents.

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee served as the keynote speaker, presenting Pastor Chambers with a proclamation recognizing his ongoing contributions to the community.

The event featured moving testimonies from individuals whose lives were changed through the Interfaith Council of Alameda County (ICAC), where Chambers has played a leading role.

Yasmin, a Norwegian immigrant who once lived homeless across eight states, described how she was referred to Chambers through 211. At ICAC’s Westside hub, she was placed in a safe car parking lot, then moved into a tiny home within a week. She now drives for Uber, volunteers, and is working toward her driver’s license while her son progresses in school.

Val, a millennial from Ethiopia, also shared her story of hardship and homelessness. After contacting 211, she entered ICAC’s program, first parking safely at the hub and assisting with client monitoring before moving into a tiny home.

Recently, the program helped a family of five who had been sleeping in a damaged truck after an accident, providing them daily lodging and access to showers via a community trailer.

Mayor Lee toured the site and heard directly from clients about the impact of ICAC’s homeless solutions.

The celebration also featured live music by the Black Love Group, including an inspirational performance by Chambers’ granddaughter, Genesis Chambers. Reverend Lemelle Smith of Helping Others Win offered words of encouragement and provided food and cake. Smith’s program, in partnership with ICAC, feeds about 2,000 people a month.

The church also honored the late Sister Mary Vance with a resolution recognizing her years of service. Her son Darren Vance and family accepted the presentation.

Pastor Chambers used the occasion to reaffirm his push for county resources to purchase hotels once linked to human trafficking and convert them into workforce housing with wraparound services such as counseling, substance abuse treatment, and mental health care. Plans are also underway to open a second safe car park at William Chapel Baptist Church in September 2025, pending approval of a $450,000 city grant.

The birthday celebration doubled as a demonstration of Westside Missionary Baptist Church’s and Mayor Lee’s shared commitment to addressing homelessness and providing tangible hope to struggling families.

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By Carla Thomas

“Cultural Renaissance,” the first-ever SF Hip-Hop conference, occurred at The Midway at 900 Marin St. in San Francisco on July 18 and 19. Held across three stages, the event featured outdoor and indoor performance spaces, and a powerful lineup of hip-hop icons and rising artists.

Entertainment included Tha Dogg Pound, celebrating their 30th anniversary, Souls of Mischief, and Digable Planets. “Our organization was founded to preserve and celebrate the rich legacy of Hip-Hop culture while bringing the community together,” said SF Hip-Hop Founder Kamel Jacot-Bell.

“It’s important for us to bring together artists, innovators, and thought leaders to discuss how hip-hop culture can lead the next wave of technological and creative transformation,” said Good Trouble Ventures CEO Monica Pool-Knox with her co-founders, AJ Thomas and Kat Steinmetz.

From art activations to cultural conversations, the two-day event blended the intersections of AI and music. Panels included “Creative Alchemy – The Rise of the One-Day Record Label,” featuring producer OmMas Keith, composer-producer Rob Lewis, AI architect-comedian Willonious Hatcher, and moderator-event sponsor, AJ Thomas.

“The Legends of Hip-Hop and the New Tech Frontier” panel discussion featured hip-hop icon Rakim, radio personality Sway, chief revenue officer of @gamma, Reza Hariri, and music producer Divine. Rakim shared insights on culture, creativity, and his A.I. start-up NOTES.

“AI is only as good as the person using it,” said Rakim. “It cannot take the place of people.”

Rakim also shared how fellow artist Willonious helped him get comfortable with AI and its power. Rakim says he then shared his newfound tool of creativity with business partner Divine.

The panel, moderated by the Bay Area’s hip-hop expert Davey D, allowed Divine to speak about the music and the community built by hip-hop.

“Davey D mentored me at a time when I had no hope,” said Divine. “Without his support, I would not be here on a panel with Rakim and Willonious.”

Hatcher shared how his AI-produced BBL Drizzy video garnered millions of views and led to him becoming one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential AI creators.

“The Music and AI: Ethics at the Crossroads” panel featured X.Eyee, CEO of Malo Santo and senior advisor for UC Berkeley’s AI Policy, Sean Kantrowitz, director of media and content @Will.I.A.’s FYI, Adisa Banjoko of 64 Blocks and Bishop Chronicles podcast, and Julie Wenah, chairwoman of the Digital Civil Rights Coalition.

“Diverse teams solve important questions such as: ‘How do we make sure we bring diverse people to the table, with diverse backgrounds and diverse lived experiences, and work together to create a more culturally sound product,’” said Wenah.

Self-taught developer, X.Eyee said, “You have to learn the way you learn so you can teach yourself anything. Future jobs will not be one roadmap to one individual skill; you will be the orchestrator of teams comprised of real and synthetic humans to execute a task.”

Activist Jamal Ibn Mumia, the son of political prisoner Mumia Abu Jamal, greeted Black Panther Party illustrator Emory Douglas, who was honored for his participation in the Black Power Movement. Douglas was presented with a statue of a black fist symbolizing the era.

“It’s an honor to be here and accept this high honor on behalf of the Black Panther Party,” said Douglas, holding the Black Power sculpture. “It’s an art (my illustrations) that’s been talked about. It’s not a ‘me’ art, but a ‘we’ art. It’s a reflection of the context of what was taking place at the time that inspired people.

“To be inspired by is to be in spirit with, to be in spirit with is to be inspired by, and to see young people continue on in the spirit of being inspired by is a very constructive and powerful statement in the way they communicate,” Douglas said.

His work embodied the soul of the Black Panther Party, and as its minister of culture and revolutionary artist, he definitely keeps the Panther Party soul alive, and his work is everywhere.

“Brother Emory Douglas is an icon in the community,” said JR Valrey of the Block Report.

“Fifty years later, he’s still standing,” said Ibn Mumia, raising his fist in the traditional Black Power salute.

“Emory is a living legend and so deserving of this award,” Valrey said. “We have to honor our elders.”

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