Each step took Rev. Philip R. Cousin Sr. closer to the podium and a sea of 250,000 people who had gathered at Grant Park on election night to witness history. For Bishop Cousin, it was a moment that he and many African Americans thought would never happen
Each step took Rev. Philip R. Cousin Sr. closer to the podium and a sea of 250,000 people who had gathered at Grant Park on election night to witness history.
For Bishop Cousin, it was a moment that he and many African Americans thought would never happen during their lifetime. Yet, Bishop Cousin stood at history’s gate, ready to usher in America’s first Black Commander-in-Chief, President-elect Barack Obama.
After nurturing an eight-year relationship with the Obamas, Cousin was tapped to do the opening prayer at the event. Because of Cousin, the African Methodist Episcopal Church also took center stage that night as he, the 96th consecrated and elected bishop, offered the blessing upon a new era for mankind.
As he scanned the crowd, Cousin thought to himself, “I guess heaven is going to be like this.” He proceeded to pray, offering condolences to President-elect Obama and his family on the loss of his grandmother.
As he prayed, the bishop’s wife, Dr. M. Joan Cousin, stood proudly in the VIP section. She was beaming because a Black man had been elected president and her husband played a key role in making it happen.
“I’m happy that we lived to see this day,” Dr. Cousin said afterward. “God has truly broadened Bishop’s territory.”
And with five sons, all of whom serve as A.M.E. pastors, the Cousin legacy is destined to continue for generations to come. A child of the parsonage himself, the honor gave Bishop Cousin time to reflect upon his father, the Rev. S.A. Cousin, who was a pastor when opportunities were limited for African Americans.
“It’s overwhelming when you see all of the changes that have happened in my 75 years,” said Bishop Cousin, whose formative years were spent growing up in West Palm Beach, Fla. while his father was pastor at Payne Chapel A.M.E. Church. “I’ve seen us come from segregation through the Civil Rights Movement up to now. It’s remarkable.”
Cousin said offering the prayer for President-elect Obama ranked high among his ministerial accomplishments. He likened it to the moment in 1976 when he was elected a bishop. “It’s an experience I’ll never forget,” Cousin said.
Cousin is no stranger to the world stage. He met with Pope John Paul II, Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu, to name a few. He served as the first African American to lead the National Council of Churches, where he was president from 1983 to 1987.
He was selected by Ebony magazine as one of the 100 most influential African Americans.
In 2000, when he was appointed presiding prelate of the Fourth Episcopal District of the A.M.E. Church, which includes Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and three Canadian provinces, is when Cousin met Obama. At the time, Obama was campaigning for a seat in the U.S. Senate.
Cousin said Obama attended the Chicago Annual Conference, where he addressed the delegates and sought their support. Their relationship continued to grow after he was elected to the Senate.
Cousin was among a select group with whom then-Sen. Obama shared his decision to run for president.
As the Senior Bishop, Cousin was instrumental in getting Obama to address the 48th Quadrennial Session of the General Conference held in St. Louis in July.
“We were excited to have him come,” Cousin recalled. “He came, and the church was blessed by his presence.”
It was at this General Conference that Cousin retired, after a monumental ministerial career. Despite his retirement, God wasn’t through using Cousin, according to his wife.
The call came unexpectedly to do the prayer for Obama. And yet, it was an opportunity that Cousin had spent a lifetime preparing for.
Reflecting upon this miraculous moment, Cousin said President-elect Obama’s victory has special meaning for all Americans, especially for those whose faith is rooted in African Methodism.
“We should never let go of our dreams and never lose sight of our heritage,” Cousin said. “I’m certain that this is a message to let us know that God is still in charge.”
The Rev. William Cooper Jr. is pastor of Macedonia A.M.E. Church in Boca Raton, Fla.
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