John M. Perkins was born in 1930, a sharecropper’s son who grew up in New Hebron, Mississippi amidst dire poverty. His mother died of a malnutrition disease when John was only 7 months old. When his older brother was murdered at the hands of a town marshal, he fled to California at age 17, vowing never to return.
However, after his conversion to Christianity in 1957 and three-year discipleship, he returned back to his home state of Mississippi in 1960 to share the Good News of God’s love. While in Mississippi, his outspoken nature as well as his support and leadership in civil rights demonstrations and voter registrations resulted in repeated harassments, beatings and imprisonments. He again was arrested in 2005 while protesting in Washington D.C. against U.S. Government defunding of programs aiding the poor.
Drs. John and Vera Mae Perkins have founded many ministries with the support of friends, which include focuses on Christian community development, multi-ethnic church planting, health centers, schools, leadership development, legal assistant, thrift stores, low-income housing development, and training centers. He has authored 17 books and continues to be the voice of reconciliation and justice, seeking a truth that could save blacks and whites together.
To learn more about John Perkins, visit his foundation website at https://www.jvmpf.org/
Original air date: March 25, 2021
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