In honor Black HIstory Month, Dr. J. Randall O’Brien has graciously allowed us to use a clip from his recently published book, Would Moses Throw a Chair?
The year was 1979. Johnny Lee Clary, Grand Dragon of the Ku Klux Klan, sat impatiently in a local radio studio awaiting the arrival of his debate opponent. The Reverend Wade Watts of McAlester, Oklahoma, Head of the Oklahoma NAACP, served as Pastor of a local church, which Clary, unsuccessfully, had tried to burn to the ground. They would soon meet face-to-face.
Reverend Watts arrived, saw the Klansman sitting defiantly in his white robe, walked over to him, extended his hand, smiled and said, “I love you.” Caught completely off guard, the Grand Dragon held out his hand and embraced the minister’s hand of forgiveness.
Within ten years, Johnny Lee Clary rose to the rank of Imperial Wizard in the Klan. He was unable, however, to shake the gracious welcome, smile, and loving words of his archenemy, Reverend Watts. One fine day in 1989, Clary convened the Grand Council of the Klan. When all were seated, he rose and dropped a bombshell. “I quit!”
Within two years, Johnny Lee had surrendered his life to Christian ministry. After having tried futilely to run from the haunting witness of Reverend Watts, Clary phoned the African-American minister:
“Reverend Watts, this is Johnny Lee Clary. You might not remember me.”
“Oh, rememberyou, son!” “Reverend Watts, I quit the Klan.”
“You did WHAT?”
“I quit the Klan. I want to be a minister like you.
“WHAT?!”
“I want to be a minister like you, loving everybody, Reverend Watts.”
“Hepmegeesus!!”
“Reverend, I’ve never been able to shake your words to me that day in the radio studio. I’ve run from them for 10 years, day and night, and I’m through running. I’m tired. I surrender. I want to be a minister like you.”
And with this, the ministry of Johnny Lee Clary began.
The two unlikely brothers began traveling together throughout the South preaching the gospel of love and racial reconciliation. They even protested together at KKK rallies. Clary formed a ministry called Operation Colorblind, Inc, to oppose racism. The two men continued to travel and preach together until the death of Reverend Watts.
Following Reverend Watts’ death and until her own, Mrs. Watts shared to any who cared to listen. “Johnny Lee is like family to us. He never tires of telling us how much he loves us.”
Taken from: Would Moses Throw a Chair, Dr. J. Randall O’Brien, Smyth & Helwys publishers.
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