ATLANTA — Family of the Rev. Joseph Lowery gathered Saturday for a small, private funeral for the civil rights veteran who worked closely with Martin Luther King Jr. and decades later delivered a prayer before 1.8 million at the inauguration of President Barack Obama.

The Rev. Joseph E. Lowery speaks at an 2013 event in Atlanta. He died March 27, a family statement said. He was 98. David Goldman/Associated Press
A horse-drawn caisson attended by men in black suits and top hats carried Lowery’s casket to Westview Cemetery in Atlanta, where about 10 family members attended a graveside service. The procession first made stops at two churches where Lowery had served as pastor, as well as the nonprofit Joseph and Evelyn Lowery Institute for Justice and Human rights that he founded in 2001.
Lowery, 98, died March 27 in Atlanta from what his family said were natural causes unrelated to the new virus. He was best known for helping King start the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the civil rights organization that Lowery went on to lead for two decades.
Likely by coincidence, Lowery’s funeral fell on the 52nd anniversary of King’s assassination in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968.
Lowery gave the benediction at Obama’s first inauguration in 2009. Later that year, Obama awarded Lowery the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
A public memorial service is planned for Oct. 6, which would have been Lowery’s 99th birthday.
Lowery’s daughter, Cheryl Lowery, had previously said 10 family members would attend the funeral Saturday. Specific details of the service were not made public.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
-
Obituaries
Obituary: Cathy Skeirik Roberts
-
Obituaries
Obituary: Elizabeth "Libby" (Hyde) Moore
-
Schools and Education
School funding projections give Maine districts a mix of good and bad news
-
Forecaster Sports
Freeport standout to play two sports in college
-
Nation & World
Republican Party to stay neutral should Trump seek White House again
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi {SUB NAME}, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have one? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login to participate in the conversation. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.