San Francisco, CA
Legendary San Francisco preacher Dr. Amos Brown to retire from the pulpit — sort of
After nearly 50 years delivering fiery sermons bearing messages of empathy, equality and salvation from the pulpit of San Francisco’s Third Baptist Church, Dr. Amos Brown is retiring as head pastor.
This weekend, the church will celebrate Brown’s near half-century as head of the church, though he still plans to play a robust role in the church’s programs.
“I know traditionally we have called one’s moving from position of service as being retirement,” said Brown, sitting in the pews of the church’s sanctuary where he’s delivered thousands of sermons. “But for me, I will never retire. I’m just repositioning myself.”
Brown took over the role of Third Baptist’s pastor in 1976 after heading up the historic Pilgrim Baptist Church of St. Paul, Minnesota. It wasn’t his first time in San Francisco, though.
He first traveled to San Francisco in 1956, driving from his home state of Mississippi with civil rights activist Medgar Evers for the 47th NAACP National Convention. It was at that convention he first met Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who would later teach a class on social philosophy Brown attended in seminary college.
“From that day forward I stayed with him, marched with him,” Brown said.
Courtesy of Dr. Amos Brown
Courtesy of Dr. Amos Brown A photo of Dr. Amos Brown (right) and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. during their first meeting at the 47th NAACP Convention, held in San Francisco in 1956.
Brown presided over the Third Baptist congregation with the fiery oratory of a Southern preacher, infused with the emotional grit and fortitude of his lifelong battle in the civil rights movement. Born in Jackson, Mississippi, he was arrested numerous times for challenging segregation, defiantly riding busses as a freedom rider and battling racism at every opportunity.
“I was even locked up two nights in jail down in Jackson, Mississippi, when I wouldn’t let a white intern call my 85-year-old neighbor ‘boy,’” Brown said.
Brown was 14 years old when the lynching of another 14-year-old in Mississippi, Emmett Till, would shake his world. Brown sought out Evers to vent his frustration after two men accused in the lynching were exonerated.
“Mr. Evers said, ‘I understand how upset you are and hurt and angry,’” Brown remembered. “He said, ‘Don’t get stuck there. Let’s be smart.‘”
Inspired by Evers’ council, Brown went on to found the NAACP Youth Council. He would later serve as president of the San Francisco NAACP and with the national organization.
After moving to San Francisco, Brown waded deep into the city’s political waters. In 1996, then-Mayor Willie Brown appointed Brown to the board of supervisors, where he remained until 2001. Among his controversial ideas was a proposal to move the homeless population to barges in the Bay and another calling on the city to issue fines for loitering.
Joe Rosato Jr./NBC Bay Area
Joe Rosato Jr./NBC Bay Area Dr. Amos Brown sits in the pews of San Francisco’s Third Baptist Church where he has served as head pastor since 1976.
His service extended beyond the borders of San Francisco’s 49 square miles. In 2001, he accompanied Jesse Jackson to South Africa to meet with Nelson Mandela in discussing issues of African development.
Since 1964, he traveled to Africa 27 times, sponsoring African refugees through his church and helping dozens of children receive heart surgery in the U.S.
“In the words of Charles Wesley,” Brown recited, “the world has always been my pulpit.”
In stepping back from the pulpit he’s occupied since 1976, Brown theorizes he’ll have more time to read books, travel and listen to music, especially Mozart.
He may also on occasion stroll down Dr. Amos Brown Way, a block of Pierce Street adjacent to Third Baptist which the city will rename this coming Saturday in a ceremony. Though he may not be in the pulpit, Brown figures he will stay plenty busy. When asked about his future, he recited a poem about the tedium of sailing a small boat near the shore when there are great ships to encounter further out.
“I’m still going to be out on the sea of life trying to show someone else to find the way to the shore,” Brown said.
San Francisco, CA
New SF supervisor supports reopening Great Highway on weekdays
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — Alan Wong, the new supervisor for District four in San Francisco, has publicly expressed his support for reopening the Great Highway to vehicles on weekdays. This statement comes amid ongoing debates surrounding the highway’s conversion into a park last spring, which was met with mixed reactions from the community.
The Great Highway was transformed into a public park earlier this year, a change that many residents have embraced, while some local neighbors have pushed back. Joel Engardio, the former supervisor who supported this conversion through Measure K, was recalled this year, highlighting the division among constituents in District four.
Wong, who was appointed as supervisor following Engardio’s recall, filed paperwork to run for the elected position on the board. His term is set to last until January 2027, during which he aims to solidify his platform around reopening the Great Highway.
In his statement, Wong emphasized, “I believe my values align with a majority of Sunset residents who support reopening the Great Highway to cars on weekdays. As a result, I am prepared to be one of four supervisors needed to sponsor a ballot initiative to restore that compromise.” This suggests Wong’s intent to address community concerns head-on while building a wider consensus.
Prior to its conversion, the Great Highway allowed vehicles during the week and served as a park on weekends, a compromise Wong supports restoring. He aims to return to this model in response to feedback from local constituents.
All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KRON4. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat information into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KRON4 staff before being published.
San Francisco, CA
Women’s volleyball professional team headed to San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO – Pro volleyball will soon be coming to San Francisco and this latest team is part of a surge of women’s sports.
League One Volleyball officially launched this year with six teams. Now the league has announced it’s expanding to nine teams, and that one of those expansion teams will be based in the city by the bay.
Three-time Olympic volleyball medalist Kelsy Robinson Cook is on the ownership team for LOVB San Francisco, bringing professional volleyball to the city. “Can tell you it’s going to be amazing,” said Robinson Cook. “Then, when you bring in the fandom of the Bay Area and SF I think personally it’s going to make for an incredible atmosphere.”
Team ownership said starting a team in the Bay Area is a natural with colleges and universities in the region turning out top talent. “It’s the number one sport for women and girls and I think that just speaks volumes as to where we’re headed, not only in club and college, but professionally,” said Robinson Cook.
Pro women’s volleyball is part of a growing list of professional women’s sports teams calling San Francisco and the Bay Area home.
The women’s professional baseball league announced plans for a team in San Francisco. Bay FC and the Golden State Valkyries are already proving there is a market for professional women’s sports.
When pro-volleyball was looking to expand, San Francisco was a natural choice. “You’re seeing Bay FC, the Valkyries, the success that they have, and this market loves sports, and they’ve also proven they love women’s sports,” said Robinson Cook.
San Francisco leaders said the city has already proven that it supports pro-women’s teams, and will welcome professional volleyball. Mayor Daniel Lurie pointed to the city’s rich sports history and enthusiasm to support the home teams. “Now, as we saw with the Valkyries selling out every single home game last year, there is an appetite, there is a fan base, and this new league understands that,” said Mayor Lurie.
At this time, there are still a lot of questions up in the air, including exactly where LOVB San Francisco will play. Organizers say they have a lot of plans in the works to get the team ready to bump, set and spike starting in January 2027.
San Francisco, CA
Body cam footage released in South San Francisco police shooting
(KRON) — The South San Francisco Police Department released video Thursday showing what led up to two officers shooting a man who authorities said was armed with a knife.
On December 8 at around 5:10 a.m., police arrived at the 900 block of Sandra Court on the report of a man under the influence of drugs and making threats to kill himself. When officers made contact with the man, identified as 28-year-old Luis Francisco-Manzo, he initially complied with orders, authorities said.
Officer-worn body camera video shows Francisco-Manzo walking toward officers in the entrance hallway of an apartment complex with his arms raised. A small dog barks as officers give repeated commands. Suddenly, Francisco-Manzo appears in the entranceway next to officers as one calls out, “He’s got a knife.”
Officer Brendan Hart, who has been with SSFPD for eight years, fired a Taser at Francisco-Manzo, but it did not have the intended effect, police said.
Four gunshots are heard in the body camera video. Police said Officer Hart and Officer Martin Corona were the officers who discharged their weapons. Officer Corona has seven years of law enforcement experience with over four years at SSFPD.
Francisco-Manzo was transported to the hospital in critical condition. On Thursday, authorities said he continues to recover in the hospital. No officers were injured in the incident.
The police shooting remains under investigation by the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office.
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