E. E. Cleveland

Edward Earl Cleveland (March 11, 1921 – August 30, 2009) was an American writer, civil rights advocate and evangelist of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Biography E. E. Cleveland was born in Huntsville, Alabama, on March 11, 1921, and died at the Huntsville Hospital on August 30, 2009, following an illness. He was married to Celia Marie Abney Cleveland on May 29, 1943, until her death in 2003.

They have one son, Earl Clifford Cleveland.

He preached his first sermon at the age of 9. At the age of 13 he was the Sabbath School secretary at his local church in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

In the course of his work he traveled extensively, visiting over 67 countries.

Church ministry E. E. Cleveland served the Seventh-day Adventist Church for over 67 years in active and post-retirement ministry. His positions included:

1942–1946 Ministerial Intern at Carolina Conference of Seventh-day Adventists 1946–1950 Evangelist in the South Atlantic Conference of Seventh-day Adventists 1950–1954 Evangelist in the Southern Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists 1954–1977 Elected associate secretary for the Ministerial Association and became the first black man to integrate a department of the Adventist world church headquarters. He held that position for 23 years 1977–1986 Director of Department of Church Missions at Oakwood College (now University) in Huntsville, Alabama 1977– Instructor in the Department of Religion at Oakwood College

Evangelism E. E. Cleveland was an effective evangelist holding over 60 campaigns in 6 continents and training over 1,000 pastors.

In what has been called one of the most successful evangelistic campaigns in Adventist history Cleveland was the first Seventh-day Adventist to baptize more than 1,000 people in a single campaign. Held in 1966 in Port of Spain, Trinidad the series was housed in two large tents pitched side by side and opened with 3,300 people in attendance, swelling to 7,000 by the final service.

In his campaigns, Cleveland baptized approximately 16,000 persons, including George Juko, the Crown Prince of Uganda.

Civil Rights Activist E. E. Cleveland was a long-time civil rights activist. He organized the N.A.A.C.P chapter for students on the campus of Oakwood College.

As a black evangelist, he encountered difficulties related to racism. In 1954 in Montgomery, Alabama police patrolled his tent meetings after being reported in violation of Alabama ordinances prohibiting whites and blacks to comingle in a public meeting. Come Unto Me The Middle Wall Free At Last Ask the Prophets Sparks from the Anvil No Stranger Now Without a Song Living Soul; "We Shall Overcome" The Gates Shall Not The Exodus Milk and Honey One More River Let the Church Roll On It took a miracle

Cleveland was an Associate Editor for Ministry, a monthly religious journal; contributing editor to Message magazine; contributing writer to Signs, Adventist Review, These Times and was a columnist to The North American Voice a monthly religious journal.

Awards and honors

Honorary L.L.D. from Daniel Payne College 1968 Honorary doctorate from Andrews University 1968 D. Hum. Degree from Union Baptist Seminary Citing from Who's Who in Black America Citing from Who's Who in Religion in America Listed in Men of Achievement (I.B.C. Cambridge, England) Listed in Andrews University Focus Magazine as one of the most widely recognized Adventist personalities Twice voted Alumnus of the Year at Oakwood College Invited to the White House by former President Ronald Reagan for a briefing on international and national affairs Awarded Alabama's most distinguished Black clergyman by Guy Hunt, Governor of the State of Alabama on March 8, 1989. Inducted into the Martin Luther King Jr. collegium of preachers and scholars at Morehouse College On February 25, 1993,

Cleveland's life has been the subject of a biography E. E. Cleveland: Evangelist Extraordinary by Harold Lee with Monte Sahlin.

His autobiography is titled Let the Church Roll On.

The Bradford-Cleveland-Brooks (BCB) Leadership Center at Oakwood University which opened in October 2007 is in part named for E. E. Cleveland. It houses a training center for evangelists and ministers as well as provides additional classroom space for the Department of Religion and Theology. This building is also home to the classes for the first master's degree program for the university (Master of Arts degree in pastoral studies).

Donation of papers In November 2007 Cleveland donated his collection of personal manuscripts, sermons and papers to the Center for Adventist Research at Andrews University. This collection of nearly 2000 sermon manuscripts, hundreds of pictures, personal books and audio-visual materials has been termed "priceless" and is available to researchers.