Douglas Demetrius Prather, Neighbor

One of the nations forefront, most dynamic and dignified African-American Civil Rights/Social Justice activist, Reverend Douglas Demetrius Prather, a native of Atlanta, Georgia has spent his life fighting for social justice and civil rights. A committed advocate who works on behalf of society's most vulnerable populations, Prather's leadership has been recognized by numerous national publications including the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the South Fulton County Neighbor, the NAACP's Crisis Magazine, and numerous international publications.

From 1999 until 2005, Prather served with distinction on the NAACP's National Board of Director's and chaired the NAACP National Youth Work Committee, a major committee of the National Board. Presently, Prather is a member of the National NAACP Image Awards Nominating Committee, and a life member at large. It was under the leadership of Prather as Chair of the National Youth Work Committee that the NAACP issued a controversial statement critical of the United States' unilateral war against terrorism in Iraq, under then President George W. Bush's administration.

A noted editorialist, Prather has been published widely by many national and international publications and regularly serves as a guest editorialist by www.blackcommentator.com, an online social justice magazine. Well traveled, in 2003 Reverend Prather traveled to Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg, South Africa as a People-to-People Dwight David Eisenhower Presidential Scholar to research and study humanity, religion and how cultures can together work towards a more peaceful and understanding world.

Rev. Prather is the recipient of numerous awards, honors and citations that include twice the Concerned Black Clergy of Metropolitan Atlanta "Young man of the Year Award," the Atlanta Urban League, "Do the Right Thing Award", numerous NAACP awards, and most notable being selected one of the 2005 (10) most Outstanding Atlantans between the ages of 21-36, one of the most respected and coveted awards in the City of Atlanta.

Rev. Prather was featured in the 2010 edition of who’s who in black Atlanta. As a part of the NAACP's history many of Rev. Prather's writings and documents of his work have been stored and are archived at the National library of congress in Washington, DC. Additionally, of note, there is a commemorative brick bearing Prather's name at the historic, Dexter Street King Memorial Baptist Church Garden in, Montgomery, Alabama. On October 31, 2004, Rev. Prather was licensed and ordained to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ at the Historic Beulah Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia under the pastoral leadership of the Rev. W. L. Cottrell.

Rev. Prather is at present the Senior Pastor of the Greater Mountain Baptist Church in Southwest Atlanta, however his presence is felt extensively as he has involved himself in many community associated social change organizations. He is currently the Vice-Moderator and Secretary of the Atlanta District 10 Ministerial Alliance. He is also a member of the Concerned Black Clergy of Metropolitan Atlanta; the Atlanta Business League; The National Urban League, Revive the Vote, Inc.; Historic Collier Heights Community Association; Georgia Peace and Justice Coalition; and the Civic League of Metropolitan Atlanta. Rev. Prather was one of many national activists across the country who founded Revive the Vote, Inc, a national social justice and voter empowerment organization based in Berkeley, California that is comprised of a diverse group of local, regional, and national grassroots organizers and activists. With over seventy (70) years of collective experience amongst them, a proven record of success, dedication, commitment, and creativity they continue enhancing the lives of residents and families in underserved communities.

With his passion for religion, philosophy and the ancient language of Latin, Prather studied at both historic Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia and Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. Among his many leadership qualities, Rev. Prather is a classically trained pianist, preferring the art forms of Jazz, classical music and Negro spirituals and in his leisure delights in reading and traveling. Reverend Prather is married to the former Elizabeth Dixon, a career educator and also native of Atlanta, Georgia and they share one son Anthony. Reverend Prather’s life is embodied in the philosophy of Mohandas K. Gandhi "you have to become the change, you wish to create."