(ChurchLeaders) Pastor and civil rights activist Rev. Robert S. Graetz died at the age of 92 on Sept. 20 at his home in Montgomery, Alabama. Graetz, who was a neighbor and friend of Rosa Parks, was the only white minister to support the Montgomery Bus Boycott, despite his pleas to his white colleagues.
“Today we honor the life and legacy of Rev. Robert Graetz. Thank you for your selfless acts of support and for fighting for a better future,” said a statement from the Rosa Parks Museum at Troy University. “A friend and neighbor to Rosa Parks, Rev. Graetz regularly provided transportation to boycott participants and was questioned numerous times by police. The family faced harassment, tire slashings, and bombings because of their involvement in the boycott.”