Rev. Jesse Jackson Names New Leader of Rainbow PUSH
Dallas Megachurch Leader Dr. Frederick D. Haynes III, Has Background in Social Justice
By Kayla Tucker Adams
Thirty days after he announced his retirement, Rev. Jesse Jackson named Dr. Frederick Douglass Haynes III, as the new president and CEO of Rainbow PUSH Coalition.
The official announcement took place on Sunday at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition’s national convention at the Apostolic Church of God in Woodlawn where U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris was scheduled to speak.
In addition to this new role at the helm of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, Dr. Frederick D. Haynes, III, is the senior pastor of Friendship-West Baptist Church, a megachurch in Dallas, Texas, with more than 13,000 members. While Dr. Haynes recently announced Pastor David McGruder as the Executive Pastor of Friendship-West, Dr. Haynes will remain the senior pastor.
“Rev. Jesse Jackson has made the world a better place, breaking down barriers, opening previously locked doors of opportunity, fighting for justice, and refusing to take ‘no’ for an answer on behalf of those who have no voice,” said Dr. Haynes. “Rainbow PUSH has been the organizational vehicle that he has driven in the movement for justice. I am honored and humbled that he has ‘tapped’ me to serve as his successor as the President and CEO of this great organization.”
Haynes is best known as a social justice pastor and advocate for marginalized communities. Known nationally as “the drum major for justice,” he has modeled his ministry like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., focused on the intersections of faith and justice.
From leading protests and demonstrations, to registering thousands of voters, to providing food and other needed resources, to decreasing crime, to serving as a voting super center, Dr. Haynes and Friendship-West Baptist Church have always been in the forefront of creating positive and lasting social change.
As a civil rights leader and activist, Dr. Haynes has had a longstanding relationship with Rev. Jackson.
Alfred Smith Sr., Allen Temple Baptist Church pastor emeritus, had nothing but praise for Dr. Haynes, saying that the Bay Area should be very proud that one of its own was ascending to the position, echoing the legacy of his father and grandfather, whose ministries at S.F. Third Baptist Church.
“There’s no one better qualified: there’s not a better spokesman in the country,” Smith said.. Since Friendship-West Baptist Church is a microcosm of what Jackson achieved, “Haynes will inject new life into PUSH.”
Dr. Haynes holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in religion and English, a Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary as well as a Doctorate in Ministry from the Graduate Theological Foundation where he was afforded the opportunity to study at Christ Church, Oxford University in England.
Haynes is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He also serves on the Board of Trustees for Paul Quinn College as well as various other boards dedicated to the advancement of Dallas for all residents, particularly those in underserved and minority communities.
Dr. Haynes has received numerous awards and honors for his ministry and activism. In 2011, Dr. Haynes had the prestigious honor of being the featured speaker at The Congressional Black Caucus’ Annual Prayer Breakfast.
In 2012, Ebony Magazine named him to its Power 100 list of most influential African Americans. He was also inducted into the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame. In 2013, Dr. Haynes was honored to give remarks at the memorial service of one of the most respected world leaders of the 20th and 21st centuries, President Nelson Mandela.
The prestigious April 4th Foundation awarded Dr. Haynes the I Am a Man Award in 2020 and he joined the ranks of past honorees that include Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Diane Nash, Congressman John Lewis, and Harry Belafonté.
In 2022, Dr. Haynes was awarded by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., the Joseph R. Biden Jr. Presidential Lifetime Achievement Leadership Award in Community Service.
In 2003, Haynes founded the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference along with Rev. Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr. and Dr. Iva E. Carruthers and currently serves as co-chairman of the board. Dr. Haynes is on the board of the Conference of National Black Churches, the National Action Network, and the IC3 Church Growth and Development Conference.
Kayla Tucker Adams is an associate of the KTA Media Group
