Dr. Rogers' Introduction of Shared Legacies at the Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church

Dr. Rogers' Introduced Shared Legacies at the Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church on Sunday, March 1, 2026.

I am so honored to stand in this historic church, where Martin Luther King Sr. preached, where Martin Luther King Jr. inspired a nation, and where Raphael Warnock continues to inspire the next generation.

I am deeply humbled to be in this room with my role model, Sherry Frank, whose character and actions define Jewish leadership and what it truly means to be a bridge builder.

Our film, Shared Legacies: The African American–Jewish Civil Rights Alliance, was made possible in large part because of Sherry Frank, who opened the doors to Atlanta’s Black and Jewish coalition. She brought our Spill the Honey team to The Temple, where Rabbi Berg so graciously created an atmosphere that allowed us to raise funds and build momentum for this film.

Who could have imagined that John Lewis, C. T. Vivian, and Rev. Durley would all gather at The Temple to ensure this history was known and honored? Each of them spoke movingly of the earlier rabbis, Rothschild and Sugarman, recalling their warmth, moral courage, and unwavering leadership in the fight for justice alongside the Black community.

One of Atlanta’s most respected educators, who speaks with wisdom that echoes that of Moses and Jesus, is Dean Carter of Morehouse College. The Jewish community should honor him for ensuring that the college where Dr. King studied includes education about the shared legacies of the Black and Jewish coalition — a partnership foundational to the Civil Rights Movement. This history has inspired — and continues to inspire — pride in Jewish identity while building bridges with the Black community to confront both antisemitism and racism.

This history is also a roadmap for understanding what it means to “Spill the Honey,” the name of our nonprofit organization.

The historic African American–Jewish Civil Rights Alliance stands as a singular example in American history: two communities recognizing themselves in one another. They allowed the honey of their own identity to spill over — to overflow beyond their own cup — so they could see themselves reflected in the other.

In our film, Rabbi Everett Gendler, of blessed memory, spoke of Dr. King and Rabbi Heschel as soul brothers. He recalled the occasion when Dr. King came to a rabbinic conference to honor Abraham Joshua Heschel on his 60th birthday. When the two entered the room, one thousand rabbis surrounded them, linked arms, and sang “We Shall Overcome” in Hebrew.

I was honored to work with Dr. Clarence B. Jones for over thirteen years, as he served as our chairman. We met at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in my hometown of Detroit, Michigan. As Dr. King’s attorney and speechwriter, he promised Dr. King that if King were not here, Clarence would ensure the world knew how integral the Jewish community was to the African American Civil Rights Movement. Our documentary, Shared Legacies, and the newly released documentary on Clarence — directed by Stephen Curry — amplify this critical history.

This is not just history. It is a springboard — a living, breathing legacy still unfolding.

When people see our film and engage with the accompanying curriculum, they deepen their understanding of the power of shared humanity — the power of seeing oneself in the other. That understanding helped build our shared legacy, and it continues to guide us today. To the extent that we are willing to find common ground in one another, we strengthen our ability to stand together in pursuit of shared goals.

That is how we honor the past. That is how we build the future. And that is how we continue to Spill the Honey.