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Questions about Harry Emerson Fosdick

Short answers, pulled from the story.

When and where was Harry Emerson Fosdick born?

Harry Emerson Fosdick arrived in Buffalo, New York on the 24th of May 1878. He grew up in a household that valued education and religious conviction.

What happened when Harry Emerson Fosdick delivered his sermon Shall the Fundamentalists Win? at First Presbyterian Church?

Fosdick stood before the congregation of First Presbyterian Church on the 21st of May 1922 to deliver a sermon titled Shall the Fundamentalists Win?. This theological stance sparked immediate outrage among conservative leaders who viewed his words as rank apostasy.

How did John D. Rockefeller Jr. support Harry Emerson Fosdick's ministry?

John D. Rockefeller Jr. funded the construction of Riverside Church in Morningside Heights near Columbia University. The industrialist also funded the nationwide distribution of the pamphlet version of Shall the Fundamentalists Win? through a direct-mail project designed by Ivy Lee.

Why is Harry Emerson Fosdick known for his work with the Scottsboro Boys case?

Ruby Bates credited him with persuading her to testify for the defense during the 1933 retrial. Nine black youths stood trial before all-white juries in Alabama for allegedly raping white women named Victoria Price and Ruby Bates.

Who declared Harry Emerson Fosdick the greatest preacher of this century?

Martin Luther King Jr. declared Harry Emerson Fosdick the greatest preacher of this century during their shared era. King drew directly on Fosdick's writings and sermons to shape his own rhetoric and theology.