Rev. Calvin Butts, towering NY religious and political figure, dies at 73

Rev. Dr. Calvin O. Butts III, the longtime pastor at the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem and a towering community and religious figure in New York, died early Friday, his church announced this morning. He was 73.

“It is with profound sadness, we announce the passing of our beloved pastor, Reverend Dr. Calvin O. Butts, lll, who peacefully transitioned in the early morning of October 28, 2022,” read a tweet from the Abyssinian Baptist Church posted shortly after 6:30 a.m. “The Butts Family & entire Abyssinian Baptist Church membership solicit your prayers.”

“This is someone who could call up any mayor,” said Dr. Christina Greer, an associate professor of political science at Fordham University. “Not just David Dinkins, but Michael Bloomberg and Bill de Blasio and Eric Adams, as well. It’s a powerful church because — not just the membership — but the stewardship of Rev. Butts made it a place where every political leader wanted and needed to get his opinion.”

Sabrina Carten, who has been a congregant at Abyssinian for decades, said the loss for the community was “immeasurable.”

“He is the senior pastor of Harlem, of the Black churches,” she said. “Most of the senior pastors are gone, are deceased. He is the last of his era.”

Butts led Abyssinian, one of the city's largest congregations, for nearly three decades. As a pastor, he founded the Abyssinian Development Corporation, a housing nonprofit that developed an estimated $1 billion worth of residential and commercial property in Harlem.

Butts grew up in the city, graduating from Flushing High School in Queens and going on to attend Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. He then returned to New York to earn a master of divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary as well as a doctor of ministry degree from Drew University in New Jersey. He also served as the president of SUNY Old Westbury.

He frequently criticized the de Blasio administration on issues where he sought sweeping reforms, including criminal justice and policing. Butts had repeatedly called for an overhaul of the city’s police force and the firing of Daniel Pantaleo, the NYPD officer who killed Eric Garner in 2014, years before the department terminated his employment.

Butts drew controversy in supporting former Mayor Mike Bloomberg, who during his presidential run tried to publicly make amends for his legacy of stop-and-frisk.

Political leaders began voicing their sympathies as news broke Friday morning.

“My heart is with his family, loved ones, and the entire Abyssinian Baptist Church community. May he rest in peace," said Attorney General Letitia James in a tweet.

Gov. Kathy Hochul said she was “deeply saddened by the passing of my friend.” “Rev. Butts embodied true spiritual leadership — with a commitment to faith, community, & mentorship that I was honored to witness in our work together,” she said in a tweet.

Rev. Al Sharpton, another religious stalwart of local and national influence, said Butts was “irreplaceable” and a “major pillar in the Harlem community.” Butts and Sharpton had worked together to tackle certain social issues, including health disparities faced by Black communities, most recently with Covid-19.

“We knew each other for more than 40 years, and while we did not always agree we always came back together,” Sharpton said in a statement.

Butts built his legacy in Harlem as it became a powerful force in city politics.

“For so many decades Harlem was the epicenter of all things Black politics in New York City, and we’ve seen that shift over the past few years,” said Greer, citing a list of prominent Brooklyn-based politicians including James, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and the mayor, who was previously the borough president.

“Rev. Butts really did plant a lot of seeds in Harlem over these last few decades. And it’ll be interesting to see if that leadership can take hold again — or if we’re seeing, especially with the expansion of Columbia University and the gentrification of Harlem as a neighborhood — whether or not the legacy of Calvin Butts can remain.”

But others remain optimistic that his influence runs deep.

“He was way more than the things he did politically and the things he did in the community,” said Carten, who has been part of the church for 49 years. “He was a true man of God.”

Butts was reportedly diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He is survived by his wife Patricia, three children and six grandchildren.