Nelson, Mrs., undated

Edler G. Hawkins (b. 1908 d. 1977) was Pastor of St. Augustine Presbyterian Church in the Bronx, New York for over thirty years. Under his stewardship the congregation grew to over one thousand members. As Pastor, Rev. Hawkins was very active in the Bronx community and in responding to concerns in this increasingly diverse neighborhood. He demanded and worked for better housing and equal opportunities for minorities. His concern for the community led him to run for a New York State Assembly position in 1948, which he did not win. However, Rev. Hawkins was able to pursue his aims through leadership roles in the United Presbyterian Church (UPC). He served on many committees within the UPC including the Council on Race and Religion and the Presbyterian Economic Development Corporation. In 1958 he was elected the Moderator of the Presbytery of New York, where he served for two years. In 1960 he ran unsuccessfully for the national position of General Assembly Moderator, losing by only two votes. He was then named Vice Moderator in an act of fellowship by the newly elected Moderator. Rev. Hawkins was elected Moderator of the UPC in 1964. He was the first African American to hold all three Moderator positions. He traveled extensively in official UPC capacities, both nationally and internationally.

In 1971, Rev. Hawkins resigned as Pastor of St. Augustine Presbyterian Church, and began teaching at Princeton Theological Seminary. He was the first African American on the faculty of the Seminary. In addition to theology, he taught classes in African American literature and history.

The Edler G. Hawkins Collection documents much of his life’s work and spans from 1933 until his death in 1977. The majority of this collection is comprised of sermons, lectures, and other writings by Rev. Hawkins. The collection contains some documentation related to organizations he was active in and committees he served on, including his terms as Vice Moderator and Moderator of the UPC. Also, there are lecture notes of classes he taught at Princeton Theological Seminary, news articles about him, programs from events he attended and participated in, some correspondence, and a few photographs.