What is
Proctor is Black Joy
It gathers a people who have carried centuries of struggle and still choose to celebrate life, faith, and one another. In this space, joy is not shallow or fleeting — it is resistance, resilience, and renewal. It is the laughter that rises in worship, the embrace of community, and the freedom found in voices raised together. To say ‘Proctor is Black joy’ is to affirm that joy itself is sacred work, a testimony that even in the face of injustice, the spirit of a people cannot be silenced.
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The Seminarian Experience
The expertise, research, teaching and pastoral experiences of theologians and pastors at the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference affords an unprecedented and unique opportunity for seminarians to partake in a specially designed intensive. As we prepare to celebrate our 22nd anniversary of the convening of the Clergy and Lay Leadership Conference, we encourage any interested students come, register to answer our communal call to a “divine imperative to sustain the flame of faith, justice and people power in the face of escalating threats to Black life and liberation.”
2026 Conference Co-Deans
Dr. Teresa Fry Brown
Dr. Michael B. McCormack
“And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”
Romans 10:15 (KJV):
2026 Beautiful Are Their Feet Award Gala
Each year, the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference hosts the Beautiful Are Their Feet Award Gala, an evening dedicated to honoring a select group of distinguished leaders whose lives and work embody the spirit of Romans 10:15 — bringing good news, peace, and hope to the world. This elegant celebration uplifts the accomplishments of clergy, scholars, activists, and community builders who have made a transformative impact through their service and vision. The gala is not only a recognition of individual excellence, but also a collective affirmation of faith, justice, and Black joy at the heart of the Proctor legacy.
2026
Ella Joe Baker
Human rights award
The Ella Jo Baker Human Rights Award is an honor granted for the exemplary and distinctive contributions of one who has inspired, challenged and expanded the African American faith community’s capacity to witness and engage in our traditions of prophetic ministry and justice campaigns
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