Dr. Herman O. Kelly, Jr. retired Pastor of The African Methodist Episcopal Church will be on a panel at the first National Convention of The New National Christian Leadership Movement, Inc. In New Orleans, Louisiana. He will discuss Organizing Communities on this panel at the Convention. Dr. Kelly was appointed President for Tangipahoa Parish Chapter of The New National Christian Movement. The New National Christian Leadership Movement (NNCLM) is dedicated to fostering Christ-centered leadership that transforms communities through faith, justice, and service, equipping and empowering individuals to lead with integrity, advocate for social justice, and promote unity by applying biblical principles to modern challenges. Dr. Kelly is on The Faculty of The Ogden Honors College and The African and African American and Education Department at Louisiana State University Baton Rouge Campus.
 

Dr. Herman O. Kelly, Jr., is a native of Jacksonville, Florida. He was educated in Christian values by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Herman O. Kelly, Sr. and the public schools of Jacksonville. Dr. Kelly later matriculated to Morehouse College, graduating with a B.A. degree. He continued his education at Springfield College in Springfield, Massachusetts, completing a M.Ed. degree and Boston University School of Theology, receiving his M.Div. degree. Pastor Kelly completed a Doctor of Ministry degree at Memphis Theological Seminary in Memphis, Tennessee. Further Study Certificate Program Payne Seminary.

 
In 1980 Herman O. Kelly, Jr. was licensed to preach in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Dr. Kelly's ministerial journey began under the late Rev. M. L. Watts, and he was mentored by Dr. Donald L. Tucker. Under this mentorship, Herman O. Kelly, Jr. was ordained an Itinerant Deacon in 1983 at the hand of the Rt. Rev. Richard Allen Hildebrand. In 1985 he was ordained an Itinerant Elder at the hand of the Rt. Rev. Frank Curtis Cummings.
 
Pastor Kelly has served five churches: Mt. Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church, Newport, Rhode Island; St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church, Meridian, Mississippi; Friendship African Methodist Episcopal Church, Clarksdale, Mississippi; Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Baton Rouge, Louisiana and currently serving at Grant Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Amite, Louisiana. In addition to pastoral ministry, Dr. Kelly served as Protestant Chaplain at Rhode Island College, Adjunct Instructor at Coahoma Community College and Meridian Community College. Presently, Dr. Kelly serves as Adjunct Faculty at Louisiana State University in the College of Education and African and African American Studies and River Parishes Community College in the Religious Studies Department. He serves on the Recruitment Committee for the African and African American Studies Program, Louisiana State University. He is also the Former Chair of the Board of Examiners for the Eighth Episcopal District and Treasurer for the Louisiana Annual Conference.
 
He writes for the Advocate in Baton Rouge, Louisiana for special events regarding Faith and African American concerns. Dr. Kelly is a member of the Louisiana Interchurch Conference and Ecumenical Body of Clergy and Laity in the State of Louisiana. His publications include, "Spiritual Formation for Youth as Young Laity in Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church for the 21st Century", “The Brave Project and The Black Church”, "Tribute to Nelson Mandela " The A.M. E. Review October-December 2013. Dr. Kelly edited the Black Rhetorical Traditions in The Civil Rights Movement Volumes I and II 2018, and African American Religion 2018.
 
During his tenure at Bethel Dr. Kelly and the Bethel congregation organized the first HIV/AIDS Ministry in the African American community in East Baton Rouge Parish, and he also is responsible for organizing the Dr. James Haines Swimming Ministry at Bethel, named in honor of his former swimming coach at Morehouse College where he was a former "Tigershark" swim team.
 
Dr. Kelly was inducted into the Morehouse Board of Preacher’s King International Chapel in April 2012. He was also awarded the Franklin Forbes Prize while at Morehouse which is given to the athlete with the highest-grade point average upon graduation. He was named a Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Scholar and Mary McLeod Bethune Scholar at Boston University School of Theology.

Dr. Kelly is married to Spring Reshawn Weary from Hammond, Louisiana. They share a blended family of five children and eight grandchildren. Dr. Kelly is a life member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.

hkelly1@lsu.edu