“Gardner Calvin Taylor, was born June 18, 1918, the son of the late Selina Taylor and famed early twentieth century preacher Washington Taylor, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. In the rustic countryside of Louisiana and in metropolitan Baton Rouge he observed his father's ministry. Early, at age 13, his father died leaving him to the skillful care of his mother. He entered Leland College, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree. While at Leland, during his senior year, he discerned his call to the ministry after a tragic car accident. Upon graduation, he entered the Oberlin Graduate School of Theology where he successfully, completed his studies earning a Bachelor of Divinity degree.

His pastorates include Bethany Baptist Church in Elyria, Ohio, Beulah Baptist in New Orleans, The Historic Mt. Zion Baptist Church-his home church and pastorate of his father, in Baton Rouge, and the Concord Baptist Church of Christ in Brooklyn, New York. While at his pastoral success was remarkable. During his tenure, from 1948-1990, the Concord Church experienced tremendous growth. The Concord Church was rebuilt after a tragic fire in 1955 at the astounding cost of nearly $2,000,000.00. A credit union was established which now has over $ 2,000,000.00 in assets. A clothing exchange, nursing home, and elementary school are a few of the ministries that were created to serve the needs of the Brooklyn community. Nearly 13,000 people joined the Concord Church during the tenure of Gardner Taylor as pastor.

As a Civil Rights leader, he led fundraising in New York on behalf of Dr. Martin Luther King's southern Civil Right's movement. On the occasion of the first Anniversary of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, he delivered the Keynote Sermon and special gifts given by the people of New York City. He protested in New York supporting Hispanic and African Americans who suffered housing discrimination. He was arrested for public protest on behalf of minority/ building trade workers. Notably, he sought to move the National Baptist Convention, though his candidacy for president but fell short in a valiant effort to identify the largest African valiant effort to identify the largest African-American Organization in the United States with the Civil Rights Movement. Further, his efforts to promote political and racial equality within New York thru his positions as the first African-American on the New York Public School Board; as well as one-time leader of the Democratic Party in Brooklyn; and as president of the Protestant Council of Churches, solidifies his place as one of the Titans of the Northern Civil Rights Movement.
 
However, with the acknowledgement of Gardner Calvin Taylor's remarkable success as an urban pastor and Civil Right leader, it is his remarkable gift as a preacher, which has earned him a place among the pantheon of American preachers. His is a language, which bows to the glory of heaven, and the power of a living Lord. In him the scholarship of a professor; the language of a Shakespearean writer; the skills of an English Thespian and the tradition of radical progressive African-American preachers converge to form a preaching moment which transcends the ordinary and escapes into a world of the Spirit.
 
His skills at proclamation have been honored by invitations to appear 5 times before the Baptist World Alliance, the first of which came at age 30. He received four invitations to be conference preacher at the Hampton Ministers Conference. Twice he served as National Radio preacher on NBC programs. He has been preacher to National denominational gatherings in seven nations around the world. He delivered the 100th Lyman Beecher lecture on Preaching at Yale. He has taught preaching at Harvard, Princeton, New York Seminary, Union, and Colgate Rochester. In 1979, Time Magazine named him one of the seven greatest Protestant preachers in America dubbing him, "The Dean of the Nations Black Preachers." Twice Ebony Magazine has honored him as one of the IS greatest preachers in America. A Baylor University Surrey in Newsweek Magazine named him as one of 12 greatest preachers in the English Speaking world. Eleven Universities have conferred honorary degrees on him. In 1993, he delivered the sermon at the Inaugural Prayer Service of President William Jefferson Clinton. In 1997, he offered the benediction at the President Clinton's second Inauguration. In August of 2000 A.D. President Clinton bestowed upon him the Nation's highest Honor, The Presidential Medal of Freedom.
 
Today, he continues to proclaim the Gospel thru writings, speeches, and a tireless preaching schedule.”

Source:  Gardner C. Taylor Website http://www.gardnerctaylor.com/index_files/about.htm (July 5, 2007)