Reverend Cecil Williams, the legendary leader of Glide Church, recently celebrated his 86th birthday. Now, thanks to the heroic efforts of film director Robert Zagone, a 1975 television program on Reverend Williams is now available for showing for the first time in four decades. Zagone, whose 1966 film Drugs in the Tenderloin has played to two sold-out showings at the Tenderloin Museum, directed the television program for the national PBS series, Interface, which presented an innovative perspective on African-American and Latino culture.

Zagone captured Williams at his most fiery and most revolutionary. It is this young, charismatic Williams whose Sunday services mesmerized audiences at Glide and which became renowned throughout the world. If you want to see the essence of Cecil Williams, you have to see this film.

******Cecil Williams will be in attendance!********

About Cecil:

Reverend Cecil Williams became pastor of Glide Memorial Church in 1963. His spirited Sunday services became jazz-filled “Celebrations” that drew people from many different backgrounds. Under his leadership Glide’s membership grew from 35 to a 10,000- member congregation of all races, ages, genders, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and religions. A supporter of gay rights far ahead of his time, Cecil founded the Council on Religion and the Homosexual in 1964. He welcome everyone to participate in services and hosted political rallies with speakers as diverse as The Black Panthers, Billy Graham, and Angela Davis. Glide is the largest provider of social services in the city, serving over three thousand meals a day, providing HIV screenings, adult education, homeless assistance, and support for victims of domestic violence, substance abuse and mental health issues.

Event Details:
Tenderloin Museum
398 Eddy Street (@ Leavenworth)
Wednesday December 16th
Reception at 6:30pm, Program at 7pm
$10