WSP Scholars - Dr. Prathia Hall

1999-2000 Womanist Scholar - Rev. Dr. Prathia Hall, Ph.D. (1940-2002)

Dr. Prathia Hall was a renowned preacher, pastor, lecturer, and educator. Rev. Dr. Prathia L. Hall, Ph.D. died during the summer of 2002. She was a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where she was ordained to the Christian ministry in 1977 and called to pastor the Mount Sharon Baptist Church. Through her ministry, new ground was broken in the acceptance of women in ministry in Baptist churches. Dr. Hall was the first woman to be received into the membership of the Baptist Minister Conference of Philadelphia and Vicinity in 1982. Also, she served on the Advisory Council of the Women Ministry Project of the American Baptist Churches, USA.

As a widely acclaimed and dynamic preacher, Dr. Hall proclaimed the gospel of Jesus Christ in the pulpits of churches, and university and seminary chapels across the United States. Dedicated to the struggle for justice, Dr. Hall participated in the freedom rides and served in Southwest Georgia and Selma, Alabama, with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee during the 1960s. Her legacy in the movement was featured on the nationally televised six-part PBS-TV documentary series: This Far By Faith: African American Spiritual Journeys. This series was co-produced by Blackside Inc., the producers of the award winning Eyes on the Prize series.

Dr. Hall’s professional background included several years as an administrator in the field of human services and community development. She served as Dean of Spiritual and Community Life, Director of the Harriet Miller Women’s Center, Dean of African American Ministries and lecturer in Christian Ethics, at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio.

Dr. Hall received a B. A. in Pre-Law with a concentration in Political Science from Temple University in Pennsylvania. She received her Master of Divinity, Master of Theology and Ph.D. degrees from Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, New Jersey.

Dr. Hall remained active in her church and community. She served as Chair of the Program Committee in the Progressive National Baptist Convention (PNBC) and member of the PNBC delegation to the World Council of Churches 7^th Assembly in Harare, Zimbabwe, 1998. She served on the Steering Committee for the American Baptist Conference on the partnership of Women and Men in the Community of Faith; Co-chairperson of the Princeton Chapter of the Association of Black Seminarians; and President of the Roosevelt, New York Board of Education.

She was the Associate Professor at Boston University School of Theology, holding the Martin Luther King Jr., Chair in Social Ethics.

Dr. Hall was the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including the Hawkins Memorial Award for Scholastic Excellence, Blizzard Memorial Award for Social Ministry, and the Jagow Preaching Award from Princeton Theological Seminary. She received the Benjamin E. Mayes Fellowship and Black Doctoral Fellowship from the Fund for Theological Education. She was the recipient of the American Baptist Churches, USA Ellen Cushing Scholar Award, Roosevelt Board of Education Service Award and the Elks and Prince Hall Masons Oratorical Contest Scholarship.

In addition to being a preacher, pastor and educator, Dr. Hall was also a dedicated mother of two children, DuBois Wynn and the late Simone Denise Wynn.

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