The steeple dropout: Will Campbell, 1924–2013
When Will Campbell replied to my letter, I expected him to call me to fight “the Enemy.” Instead he encouraged me to love my enemies.
When Will Campbell replied to my letter, I expected him to call me to fight “the Enemy.” Instead he encouraged me to love my enemies.
When I first started working for the Century about six years ago, I was given the assignment of interviewing Will Campbell for the magazine. I’ll admit it: I didn’t know who Will Campbell was. I understood from others that he had written a beautiful memoir and that he had been active in the civil rights movement. Beyond that, I was ignorant.
Campbell got into trouble in lots of different ways. As a seminarian, I was particularly impressed that he dared to drink whiskey with the Klan.