Rev. Clenard H. Childress Jr. has dedicated decades of pastoral ministry and community activism to advocating for the protection of unborn life and raising awareness about abortion within African American communities. His work brings together faith, public education, and grassroots engagement to address issues he considers central to human dignity and social responsibility.
In August 1999, Rev. Childress was appointed president of the Northeast Region of the Life Education and Resource Network (L.E.A.R.N.) and served as a chief organizer of the “SaySo” March to the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. In November 2000, he received the Community Service Award from the Montclair Chapter of the NAACP in recognition of his dedicated community service.
Rev. Childress expanded his outreach through media and educational initiatives. In 2002, he founded BlackGenocide.org, a website intended to inform the African American community about abortion from a pro-life perspective. In 2009, he partnered with Mark Crutcher of Life Dynamics to produce MAAFA21, a documentary examining the abortion industry and its impact on African American communities. In 2011, a Manhattan billboard featuring a message he created brought his advocacy to a wider audience and generated discussion among clergy and social activists.
In April 2013, Rev. Childress joined Day Gardner of the National Black Pro-Life Union at a press conference outside the Criminal Justice Center in Philadelphia, calling for greater media coverage of the criminal trial of abortion provider Kermit Gosnell. Fox News subsequently featured him in its national religious report with correspondent Lauren Green. In December 2017, L.E.A.R.N. presented him with the Erma Clardy Craven Award in recognition of his longstanding commitment to pro-life advocacy and his perseverance through social and political change. That same month, he was featured in the PBS Frontline documentary Anti-Abortion Crusaders: Inside the African American Abortion Battle, which explored the debate surrounding abortion within African American communities.
Through his pastoral leadership, public speaking, media participation, and community outreach, Rev. Childress has worked to bring his faith-based convictions into public conversations about life, family, and human dignity. His decades of service reflect his commitment to advancing the causes he believes will strengthen communities and protect future generations.