• Home
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Report Police Misconduct
42 °f
Washington
36 ° Sun
39 ° Mon
49 ° Tue
55 ° Wed
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • HBCUs
  • Society
    • Politics
    • Health & Well-Being
    • National
    • Opinion
  • Race[ism]
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    • Sports
    • Music
    • TV & Film
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Tech
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • HBCUs
  • Society
    • Politics
    • Health & Well-Being
    • National
    • Opinion
  • Race[ism]
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    • Sports
    • Music
    • TV & Film
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Tech
No Result
View All Result
blackoute
No Result
View All Result
Home Religion

Army Promotes Black Woman Chaplain to Colonel for the First Time

October 5, 2020
in Religion
4 min read
49
SHARES
137
VIEWS
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Email
  • SMS
  • Facebook Messenger
  • Copy Link

RelatedNews

For Black Mothers, Parenting is Political

Alabama Pastor and Lawmaker Resigns From Church After Partaking in Celebration for KKK Leader

Where Are Churches in the Black Lives Matter Movement?

Army Promotes Black Woman Chaplain to Colonel for the First Time
The Rev. Maurice Lawson, left, and Aretha Denard, right, change the jacket shoulder insignia for Chaplain (Col.) Monica R. Lawson, center, during her promotion ceremony to colonel on Sept. 2, 2020, at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Photo courtesy of USACHCS

(RNS) — The Army has promoted an African American woman chaplain to the rank of colonel for the first time.

Chaplain (Col.) Monica R. Lawson was given the new status in a ceremony streamed live Wednesday (Sept. 2) on the Facebook page of the U.S. Army Chaplain Center and School. The African Methodist Episcopal minister is the chief of recruiting and accessions for the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps.

“As an African American woman who has always been proud of the skin that I’m in, in this time this is a bright spot in a sea of what seems to be darkness never-ending,” Lawson said during the ceremony in the auditorium of the school at Fort Jackson in South Carolina.

“In a time when we are faced with political polarization, racial unrest, a pandemic and economic uncertainty, it’s good to have something to celebrate and to take our minds off of what is going on, if for only for a moment.”

Chaplain (Col.) Monica R. Lawson speaks to family and
friends attending her promotion ceremony to colonel on
Sept. 2, 2020, at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Photo
courtesy of USACHCS

The hourlong ceremony began with the playing of a recording of “The Star-Spangled Banner” and ended with those gathered in person singing “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” also known as the Black national anthem.

Lawson spoke on the historic occasion of “the sin of racism” and the need for “heartfelt, heart-changing dialogue.”

“I know many of you are saying ‘What does race, race relations and racism have to do with you being promoted?’” she said. “Well, just in case you didn’t figure it out, it took us 245 years for this moment to happen.”

The Scripture reading, from the Book of Isaiah, included the words: “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.”

Earlier in the ceremony, before the eagle insignia were attached to the shoulders of her uniform to symbolize Lawson’s promotion to colonel, Army Chief of Chaplains (Maj. Gen.) Thomas Solhjem encouraged Lawson to empower those beneath her to succeed.

“You’re being recognized today not because you are a Black female,” he said. “But you are being recognized today because you have exhibited to a board of what will soon be your peers and those superior that you have the potential to lead in this United States Army Chaplain Corps.”

After Solhjem led her in an oath to the Constitution, the two exchanged elbow bumps instead of handshakes, in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

Army Chief of Chaplains (Maj. Gen.) Thomas Solhjem, right, speaks during the promotion ceremony for Chaplain (Col.) Monica R. Lawson, left, on Sept. 2, 2020, at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Photo courtesy of USACHCS

Lawson, a native of Five Points, Alabama, is a graduate of Spelman College, a historically Black women’s college in Atlanta, and a recipient of a Master of Divinity degree from Turner Theological Seminary, the AME Church’s school on the campus of Atlanta’s Interdenominational Theological Center.

Her military assignments include serving as a battalion chaplain at Fort Story, Virginia, and Fort Jackson; a family life chaplain at Fort Bliss, Texas; a deputy cadet command chaplain at Fort Knox, Kentucky; a command chaplain at Fort Bragg, North Carolina; and a deputy Pentagon chaplain.

In her remarks, Lawson paid tribute to several men and women who were among the earliest Black or female military chaplains or colonels in the chaplain corps. They paved the way for her, she said.

“Too many times when people write history, we tend to leave out the history of those who made it possible for us to achieve our historic moments,” she said.

“I wanted to allow the world to see that you can make history and still embrace the history of other people. Acknowledging other people’s accomplishments, regardless of race, religion or gender, does not diminish your accomplishments.”

Source: Religion News Service

Tags: achievementsblack womanentrepreneur
Previous Post

Black Nurse Helps 100 Other Nurses to Start Their Own Businesses

Next Post

PVAMU alumna explores how COVID-19 has affected education on World Teachers’ Day

Related Posts

Black Mother
Opinion

For Black Mothers, Parenting is Political

August 24, 2020
158
Race[ism]

Alabama Pastor and Lawmaker Resigns From Church After Partaking in Celebration for KKK Leader

August 3, 2020
130
Opinion

Where Are Churches in the Black Lives Matter Movement?

July 30, 2020
124
Religion

Some Catholic Schools Are Planning an Increased Focus on Black History

July 30, 2020
115
Religion

Bishop Joseph W. Walker III on Why We Need to Stop Pretending That Virtual Worship Isn’t Here to Stay

July 25, 2020
133
Race[ism]

Lecrae on What It’s Like Talking About Racial Issues With White Evangelicals

July 6, 2020
135
Next Post

PVAMU alumna explores how COVID-19 has affected education on World Teachers’ Day

COVID-19 & Black America

Business

Black Real Estate Mogul Raising Funds For Healthcare Workers

May 30, 2020
1.3k

Tamairo Moutry has launched two fundraisers to help raise funds for those who are taking the lead in fighting COVID-19.

Read more

COVID exposes how Blacks are in danger in medical facilities: Why family advocates are needed

May 27, 2020
721
Corona Virus

Environmental toxicology professors making headway with COVID-19 research

May 16, 2020
905
Test Covid-19

New York Churches Open COVID-19 Testing Sites In Push To Reach Minority Communities

May 16, 2020
983

In Memory Of George E. Curry

This website is dedicated to George E. Curry, the editor-in-chief of the groundbreaking Black magazine 'Emerge', as well as being known as the Dean of Black Press Columnists.

Get Blackoute In Your Inbox

Subscribe1

Report Police Misconduct

Use a new public and searchable database to report police misconduct to ensure no incident is covered up. BadCopz.com was created by Blackoute's parent company, EVOLVE Group.

Visit BadCopz.com

About Us

blackoute brings you all black everything, all day everyday from sources all over the world. In times where we are often forgotten, blackoute aims to do its part to make sure that doesn't happen.

  • About Blackoute
  • Advertise with Us
  • Contact

an EVOLVE Group company

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • HBCUs
  • Society
    • Politics
    • Health & Well-Being
    • National
    • Opinion
  • Race[ism]
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    • Sports
    • Music
    • TV & Film
  • Lifestyle
    • Tech
    • Food
  • Contact

an EVOLVE Group company

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
We are currently in beta testing. Please let us know if you experience any errors.
Send this to a friend