Reverend Emanuel Cleaver II

Reverend Emanuel Cleaver II, of Kansas City, Missouri is the Senior Pastor of St. James United Methodist Church. Rev. Cleaver was elected Mayor Kansas City in 1991, and re-elected in 1995. Rev. Cleaver served on the Kansas City, City Council for 12 years beginning in 1979. He served two terms as president of the 426-member National Conference of Black Mayors, and as Chairman of the United Conference of Mayors Committee on Crime and Social Justice, and on the group's Task Force on Finances for the District of Columbia. He is a Fellow of the Aspen Institute, a national board member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and a member of the Democratic National Committee. In more than 25 years at St. James, Rev. Cleaver built the congregation from 47 members to more than 2,000. In October of 2001, St. James broke ground on an $8 million expansion of its Worship Center, the largest capital improvement project in that central city community in more than 50 years. In 1974 there were no choirs, today there are eight choirs, two dance troupes, and two smaller music ministries. There are also five usher groups, and 10 ongoing bible study ministries. Rev. Cleaver was inspired by God to establish many other active ministries including a 100 student pre-school, a tutoring program, a large community food program, an afro-centric vacation bible school and a 56 unit senior high rise, St. James Place. Rev. Cleaver is the recipient of numerous awards, and in 1999, one of the longest streets in Kansas City was named "Emanuel Cleaver Boulevard."