Councilwoman Sexton Smith To Unveil New Sign Honoring The Life And Legacy Of Rev. Dr. C. Mackey Daniels

Photo: Louisville Metro Council

He was a great leader, committed to being a voice for minorities and other disadvantaged citizens and his work will be long remembered by the people he served and touched in Metro Louisville and across the United States.

On Friday, May 18th Councilwoman Barbara Sexton Smith (D-4) will join the family and friends of the late Rev. Dr. C. Mackey Daniels to unveil an honorary sign at the corner of 18th and West Chestnut Streets to commemorate his life and legacy.

“It was an honor to serve alongside Rev. Dr. C. Mackey Daniels on the Simmons College of Kentucky Board of Trustees. He provided informed wisdom and governed with a steady hand every step of the way. Simmons College of Kentucky and our community are better today because he lived a legacy-filled life,” says Sexton Smith.

A native of Greenville, South Carolina, Rev. Dr. Charles Mackey Daniels came to Louisville in 1977 to be the pastor of the West Chestnut Street Baptist Church and served there for 40 years. He passed away earlier this week at the age of 81.

Dr. Daniels earned a BA and BD from Morris College and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity from both Morris College and Simmons College of Kentucky.

During his time as pastor, Dr. Daniels expanded the church’s youth and outreach ministries, as well as its physical structure by building a $1.3M Christian Life Center, and has improved the church’s beautification and strengthened its property assets and fiscal management. He also established the C. Mackey Daniels Scholarships to provide financial assistance to college-bound students, and a Bridge to Success program to help youth get ahead rather than having to play “catch up” in life

Under his leadership, the church has partnered with the Highland Presbyterian Church to embark on innovative, community ministries that include a court monitoring program, a reading program in the poorest elementary schools, a pulpit exchange, and annual joint worship service, all which have been interracial bridge builders that enhance on-going racial harmony.

In his lifetime, Dr. Daniels has served as President of the Progressive National Baptist Convention and as a member of the World Council of Churches, the National Council of Churches, the Baptist Joint Committee, the Congress of National Black Churches, Inc., and U of L’s Upward Bound, and is a Lifetime Member of the NAACP, Urban League, and Trustee of Simmons Bible College.

Councilwoman Sexton Smith sponsored the Resolution which called for the placement of honorary street sign at the southeast corner of 18th and West Chestnut Streets to be designated as “Dr. C. Mackey Daniels Way.”

The Metro Council unanimously passed the Resolution.

The unveiling ceremony will take place at 2:30pm at the corner of 18th and West Chestnut Streets.