Dr. Calvin O. Butts, III, is Pastor of the nationally-renowned Abyssinian Baptist Church in New York City and President of the State University of New York College at Old Westbury. His commitment to the enhancement of God’s kingdom on earth has manifested itself in his loyal attention to the daily activities and services of the congregation, as well as the pervasive impact of the church on community development initiatives, including homelessness, senior citizen and youth empowerment, cultural awareness, and ecumenical outreach.

The Abyssinian Baptist Church, led by Dr. Butts, is committed to moving forward in faith for the maintenance and expansion of its continuing Christian mission. Dr. Butts was one of the founders of Abyssinian Development Corporation (ADC), a comprehensive community-based organization that is responsible for over $300 million in housing and commercial development in Harlem, and he continues to help guide and support the daily operation of this not-for-profit organization. Dr. Butts was also instrumental in the establishment of Thurgood Marshall Academy for Learning and Social Change, a public intermediate and high school under the direction of ADC.

Dr. Butts is a native New Yorker. He spent a few years in the South, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from Morehouse College in Atlanta. He returned to New York and earned a Master of Divinity degree in Church History from Union Theological Seminary, and a Doctor of Ministry degree in Church and Public Policy from Drew University in New Jersey. He taught Urban Affairs and served as an Adjunct Professor in the African Studies Department at The City College of New York and Black Church History at Fordham University, and has given numerous lectures and speeches at colleges and universities across the nation.

In addition to his professional and religious avocations, Dr. Butts is President of The Council of Churches of the City of New York; a Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of United Way of New York City; a member of the Board of Directors of The September 11th Fund; and Chairman of the National Affiliate Development Initiative of the National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS (BLCA), as well as a founding member of the organization’s Board of Commissioners. He also serves on the Board of Trustees of North General Hospital in Harlem and is a member of the Board of American Baptist College in Nashville, Tennessee.

Dr. Butts previously served as President of Africare, a non-profit organization dedicated to the improvement of the quality of life in Africa, and Chairman of the Board for the Harlem YMCA. He has been presented with honorary degrees from The City College of New York; Tuskegee University in Alabama; Claflin College in Orangeburg, South Carolina; Dillard University in New Orleans; Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania; and Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut.

He has received more than 1,000 honors and commendations, including Man of the Year, Morehouse College Alumni Association; The Morehouse College Candle Award; The William M. Moss Distinguished Brotherhood Award; and The Louise Fisher Morris Humanitarian Award. He is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and The Prince Hall Masons, where he has received the 33rd and final degree in Masonry. He was also recognized as a Living Treasure by the New York City Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Dr. Butts has spearheaded boycotts against several New York institutions for their racist policies and employment discrimination, including a successful, nationally acclaimed campaign to eliminate negative billboard advertising in Central Harlem and many communities around New York City. As a result, the campaign was successfully replicated by other prominent individuals across the country, bringing a national sensitivity to the evils of drug abuse and exploitive advertising. Dr. Butts was also at the vanguard of the debate about negative, violent, and misogynistic rap lyrics. He continues to be on a mission to uplift the ethical standards of the human community.

He continues to preach in distinguished pulpits throughout the New York City metropolitan area, as well as nationally and internationally. He has traveled to Africa, Cuba, Europe, the Middle East, South America, and the Caribbean, and he currently delivers a bi-weekly Sunday radio sermon at 7:00 a.m. on New York’s 98.7 (KISS) FM.

Dr. Butts is married and has three children.