SCLC CEO and Former Alabama Senator Charles Steele Jr. to Step Down, But Far From Retiring

Charles Steele Jr., the longtime leader of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), an influential civil rights organization co-founded by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., is set to step down as CEO at the end of August. Although Steele’s official tenure as president will conclude on August 31, the 78-year-old civil rights veteran insists that his work is far from over.

Steele, who will transition to the role of president emeritus, plans to remain actively involved in the SCLC’s initiatives, including addressing pressing issues like affordable housing, economic development, entrepreneurship, reparations, and voting rights.

“I’m far from retiring,” Steele emphasized, reflecting on his extensive career with the SCLC. He has served as president and CEO for nearly 17 years across two separate terms, first from 2004 to 2009 and then returning in 2012, where he has led the organization for the past 12 years.

Steele’s tenure is second only to Joseph Lowery, a Huntsville native who served as the organization’s president from 1977 to 1997. Throughout its history, only seven men have held the title of president, including civil rights icons such as Ralph Abernathy, Fred Shuttlesworth, and Martin Luther King III. Steele took over from Shuttlesworth in 2004.

“When I took over, the SCLC was facing significant challenges,” Steele recalled. “I hope part of my legacy is the stabilization of the organization and the construction of a state-of-the-art building on Auburn Avenue in Atlanta.”

A native of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Steele’s political career began in 1985 when he was elected to the Tuscaloosa City Council, where he served two terms. In 1994, he was elected to the Alabama State Senate, serving three terms before resigning in 2004 to lead the SCLC.

“Alabama will always be home,” Steele said, expressing his commitment to bringing issues like affordable housing and support for Black entrepreneurs back to the state. He criticized the lack of diversity in federal, state, and corporate contracts, noting that corporate boardrooms are often dominated by white males.

Steele is particularly passionate about addressing land ownership among African Americans, pointing out that they control less than 2 percent of the land in the United States. “We must own the land,” he asserted, underscoring the importance of property rights and homeownership in economic empowerment.

Reparations for the descendants of slaves are also high on Steele’s agenda. He argues that those affected by the transatlantic slave trade have never been adequately compensated. Steele is also concerned about the growing trend of legislation aimed at restricting education on racism and the contributions of specific racial or ethnic groups.

According to an analysis by Chalkbeat, 36 states have considered or adopted such legislation, including Alabama. “There are efforts across the country to suppress African American history,” Steele warned. “If we don’t know our history, we’re destined to repeat it.”

The SCLC, founded in 1957, has deep roots in the American civil rights movement, with its origins tied to the Montgomery bus boycott. Voting rights have been a cornerstone of the organization’s mission, starting with the Crusade for Citizenship in 1957, which sought to register thousands of disenfranchised voters.

Steele is candid about the setbacks in voting rights over the years, particularly the 2013 U.S. Supreme Court decision that weakened the Voting Rights Act of 1965, allowing states like Alabama to change election laws without federal oversight.

“When I was growing up, we were taught that the federal government was a friend to African Americans, but we lost the protections Dr. King fought for,” Steele said. “People need to be educated about what’s happening.”

However, Steele acknowledged a recent victory in voting rights when the Supreme Court invalidated a Republican-led effort in Alabama to redraw congressional districts in a way that diluted Black voting power. The decision led to the creation of a new 2nd Congressional District, giving Black voters a stronger voice.

As the Nov. 5 general election approaches, Steele expressed support for Democratic candidate Shomari Figures, who is running for the newly redrawn seat in South Alabama. “Figures has been a friend of mine for a long time,” Steele said. “It’s crucial for him to win this election.”