An Oral History Interview Conducted by Dr. Autumn Brown on Behalf of the Faith & Politics Institute
Interview Description
Ruby Shuttlesworth-Bester is the second daughter of Fred Shuttlesworth and Ruby Lynette Keeler Shuttlesworth. A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Ruby had a front row seat to the historic Civil Rights Movement that took place in Alabama. Her father, Fred, was a Baptist minister who led the fight against segregation and other forms of racism in Birmingham and eventually became a co-founder of the Souther Christian Leadership Conference. Fred is often called "the most courageous civil rights fighter in the South," but Ruby also calls attention to her mother's contribution throughout the movement, describing her as the wind beneath her father's wings. Ruby Shuttlesworth-Bester moved from Birmingham to Cincinnati in 1961 where her father founded the Greater New Life Baptist Church. She attended the University of Cincinnati and worked as an educator for more than 30 years. Shuttlesworth-Bester has two children—Audra Ricquel Bester and Rev. Harold Steven Bester.
Oral History Interview with Ruby Shuttlesworth Bester - 03/02/2024