Carl Gilliard

Rev. Carl Wayne Scott Gilliard was born in Savannah, Georgia. Rev. Gilliard was raised in the Chatham County Schools, where he attended A.E. Beach High School. He later attended Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia. It was here that his community career began, working as the national youth coordinator for then presidential candidate, the Rev. Jesse Jackson. During this time, he met his “mentor for life,” Rev. Dr. Hosea Williams. While working with Rev. Williams, he had the opportunity at a young age to work with national leadership such as the late Rev. Dr. Ralph Abernathy, Rev. Joseph Lowery, NBA Hall of Famer Walt Bellamy, former wrestler Thunderbolt Patterson and the late Mrs. Coretta Scott King. Under the direction of his mentor, Rev. Hosea Williams, and after the loss of two friends to senseless murders, Rev. Gilliard returned to Savannah to take action against the violence that was plaguing the city. Rev. Gilliard knows how to relate to today’s generation because he formed one of the first positive rap groups in the nation entitled “Candylove.” Candylove toured nationally and became the first rap group to render public service announcements for the United Negro College…