Victoria Jackson Gray Adams

November 5, 1926 – August 12, 2006

Adams was ROAR’S Chief Advisor from 2003-2006

The hall entrance of Northwood Appold  Church in Baltimore, MD

The Legendary Victoria Gray Adams attended ROAR’S Fannie Lou Hamer Celebration in September/October 2003, 2004 and 2005; She, also, facilitated ROAR’S Civil Rights Workshop in March 2005 at the Hamer Facility Building whereby Adams’ 5-Steps Model was explored and adopted. In October 2004, the Legendary Victoria Gray Adams (escorted by her son, Rev. Cecil Gray) blessed the Ground Breaking Ceremony at The Fannie Lou Hamer Memorial Garden in Ruleville, Mississippi. And on October, 1, 2005, Mrs. Adams was the Keynote Speaker for the unveiling of the Amzie Moore Monument at Amzie Moore Park. Mother Adams became ROAR’s Chief Advisor in May 2003. When she passed away in 2006 she was advising ROAR on The Fannie Lou Hamer Legacy Committee

Victoria Jackson Gray (Adams) (Vickie Gray)
COFO, MFDP, SCEF, Mississippi, Alabama, DC, 1961 — 2006

I define/describe/understand myself as a Spiritual Social/Political, CR Activist. I have been engaged in resistance to all acts of repression (legal or otherwise) for as long as I have been aware of them. The emergence/unfolding of the movement of the 60’s offered an opportunity to expand and structure that engagement. My engagement continues to the present and will continue throughout my Life Journey. Having been blessed with the opportunity to live in diverse cultures and countries, the one norm that seems to exist is that of unmet needs for/in segments of the citizenry. So there is always opportunity + for servant Ministry and Witness, wherever in the world we are. I have been involved in sharing the experience of the 60’s movement all around the country, in College and University communities, in Religious settings, and in my neighborhood/local community.W/O a doubt, the 60’s movement impacted my life most profoundly and radicalized my understanding of what it means to “BE the Church” in the world. What is required to “Create and Become the Beloved Community.” I have been and continue to be involved in and affiliated with many groups and organizations, but the experience of the 60’s movement is the Plumb Line by which all others are measured. The “Enfleshening” of the “Word” it was and continues to be.

Words reprinted with permission by Mrs. Victoria Gray Adams
11/2003 — Copyrighted 2002 by VGA

2003 Conference Proceedings
Bob Moses and Victoria Gray Adams
“Civil Rights as Theological Drama”
The Conference on Lived Theology and Civil Courage
Friday, June 12th, 2003

University of Virginia
The Project on Lived Theology

Walk of Faith!!
At the Project on Lived Theology’s 2003 Conference on Lived Theology
and Civil Courage, Mrs. Adams made the following moving comments: “
As I revisit my journey in the Civil Rights movement, let me just share
with you why I do this, why I come when I oftentimes really don’t feel
physically up to it, but when there’s an opportunity to do so, I come. And
one of the reasons that I do this is that in addition to keeping the
experience on the front burner of our American society, keeping the
experience of the Civil Rights movement, especially of the 60’s, alive, I
also share my story in the hope that I will inspire, or that it will inspire,
encourage, and lead you to put your faith into action because that is
the way I see all of this. It’s a walk of Faith!

I, Patricia M. Thompson, had the unique blessings of meeting and coming under the guidance of the legendary Victoria Gray Adams in 2003 as I continued on this journey to “Shine A Light” on Fannie Lou Hamer’s legacy and the people who worked with her.

What amazed me most about Mother Adams was her energy “to do”. Mrs. Adams commitment and passion for social change and justice was just as strong when she passed away as it was over 40 years ago.

She was on the Board of Director of The Fannie Lou Hamer Project based in Kalamazoo, Michigan and was a member of ROAR’S National Fannie Lou Hamer Steering Committee. Recently, she agreed to lend her wisdom, experience and precious time to ROAR INTERNATIONAL consequently, becoming ROAR’S Chief Advisor from 2003 – 2006. She was, also, very active in her community of Petersburg, Virgina.

Mrs. Adams was truly a “Dear and Beloved Mother” to far more children than she birthed. She was infectious. Each of us demanded of her too much, but, again, she was infectious.

In July 2004, Mrs. Adams, Fannie Lou Hamer, Annie Devine and the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP) was honored at the National Democratic Convention in Boston, MA. A special tribute was paid to Fannie Lou Hamer led by Dr. Maya Angelou with original MFDP members Mrs. Adams, Rev. King, Mr. Lawrence Guyot and Mrs. Emma Sanders sharing the stage.

In August 2004, Mrs. Adams’ hometown, Hattiesburg, Mississippi, honored her as Mayor Johnny Dupree gave her a “Key to the City”.

In September 2004, Mrs Adams and others were honored at The Kennedy Center with a special showing of “Standing On My Sisters Shoulders”: a documentary about her and other black women of the civil rights movement.

On October 2, 2004, Rev. Victoria Gray Adams blessed the Ground Breaking Ceremony at The Fannie Lou Hamer Memorial Garden in Ruleville, Mississippi by reading Mrs. Hamer’s favorite biblical scripture. Later that day, she participated in Cleveland’s 4th Annual Amzie Moore Day at Amzie Moore Park.

On October 5, 2004, she returned to New Jersey for yet, another program honoring Mrs. Hamer and the MFDP. And, on March 12, 2005, she facilitated ROAR’S Civil Rights Workshop implementing Adam’s 5-Steps Process Model. And on Saturday, October 1, 2005, she attended and spoke at Amzie Moore Park in Cleveland, Mississippi during the ceremony unveiling of the Amzie Moore Monument at Cleveland’s 5th Annual Amzie Moore Day. It was clear, at this time, that Mother Adams would not be, physically, returning to the Mississippi Delta though I prayed I was wrong. Let’s not forget that it was a miracle she was alive and physically able to travel anywhere after April 2005.

She continued to speak to people throughout the nation regarding her experience in the civil rights movement and what the needs are and how to develop a strategy to meet those needs until illness struck severely in February 2006 (just weeks prior she was preparing for a conference at Mississippi Valley State University). Listening to Mrs. Adams reflect on her friendship with Mrs. Fannie Lou Hamer and Mrs. Annie Devine was a real treasure. Her descriptions permitted one to journey back in time with them and feel their energy, spirit and devotion to civil rights and social justice.

Mother Victoria Gray Adams joined Fannie Lou Hamer, Annie Devine and other ancestors on Saturday, August 12, 2006 in Baltimore, Maryland at her son’s home (Rev. Cecil Gray). We will miss her, dearly, but continue to thrive upon the lessons she taught us. ROAR is proud to have been the last organization Mother Victoria Gray Adams chose to invest her time and expertise in, second only to Northwood Appold Community Academy Public Charter School (her son, Rev. Cecil Gray’s initiative).

She was a Mother/Mentor/Friend to many and helped shaped the roots of THE ROAR FOUNDATION, INC/ROAR INTERNATIONAL. More than that, she was wise, patient, understanding, forgiving, loving, courageous, classy, contagious, humble, counselor, leader by example, spiritual, religious, and mother to far more children than she birthed. Personally, she shaped my life in ways I am yet to describe fully. I am a much wiser and better person for having had the opportunity to know, work with and love dearly, the Legendary Victoria Gray Adams. May her Soul Rest in Peace and her Spirit continue to manifest itself through the mission of ROAR and other groups and organizations she either participated in, advised or helped birth. She will be missed terribly.

Hattiesburg’s Mayor Johnny Dupree presents Mrs. Adams with a “KEY TO THE CITY” during a celebration in her honor AUGUST 27, 2004. Mr. Lawrence Guyot surprised Mrs. Adams by returning home, also.

“Sisters Committed to the Past, Present and Future” sponsored a “Homecoming” celebration to honor Mrs. Victoria Gray Adams and the 40th Anniversary of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP)

August 27, 2004 Hattiesburg, MS

REST IN PEACE
MOTHER VICTORIA GRAY ADAMS

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