William Sterling Cary, pioneering Black pastor, dies at 94

By SOPHIA TAREEN
Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — William Sterling Cary, a minister and civil rights activist who was the first Black person in prominent church leadership roles including National Council of Churches president, has died at age 94. Family members say he died Sunday at his suburban Chicago home in Flossmoor following heart failure. In 1972 he was the first Black president of the National Council of Churches, a massive coalition of U.S. Christian churches. Two years later he was elected conference minister of the Illinois Conference of the United Church of Christ — the first Black person named a UCC conference minister. Family members say funeral services will be private but a memorial service would be held in the future.