Celebration of The Life and Works of Mr. Earl Theodore Shinhoster, July 5, 1950-June 11, 2000, Friday, June 16, 2000, New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, 2778 Snapfinger Road, Decatur, Georgia, Bishop Eddie L. Long, Senior Pastor, Officiant, Pastor Jesse Curney, III, Presiding

QIlehration of W~ lflif ana ~orks of
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July 5, 1950 - June 11, 2000
Friday, June 16, 2000 -11:00 A.M.-
~o ~irt~ c!ffilissionar1J ~aptist QI~urc~
2778 Snapfinger Road Decatur, Georgia
Bishop Eddie L. Long, Senior Pastor Officiant
Pastor Jesse Curney, Ill Presiding

If there is no struggle, there is no progress
'Those who profess to favor freedom, but deprecate agitation is like a man who wants crops without plowing up the ground - rain without thunder and lightening. This struggle may be a moral one or it may be a physical one... it may be both moral and physical, but it must be a struggle. You may not get all you pay for in this life, but you must certainly pay for all that you get."
Frederick Douglass

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"Giving honor to God, the maker of all good and perfect gifts, the Creator of the universe who made of one blood all the races that dwell on the earth . .. "
- Earl T. Shinhoster
Earl T. Shinhoster was born to the late Willie and Nadine Shinhoster of Savannah, Georgia, on July 5,1950. Praying parents, who taught the importance of godliness, education, and treating all people with respect, reared him and his siblings in a Christian home. Earl was always the serious one in the bunch. He had a love for reading, listening and learning, but he also enjoyed having fun. It was never unusual to find him outdoors enjoying a good game of stickball with his family and friends. However, his serious nature kept him focused on wanting to find a means to correct the social inequality he saw growing up in a racist South.
At the age of thirteen, he became an active member of the NAACP Youth Council where he was mentored by W. W. Law. Earl's early diligence and passion for civil rights was evident by his youthful energy as he folded envelopes, participated in sit-ins and rallied in picket lines. While attending the public schools of Savannah, he had his first exercise in exerting his personal freedom . In defiance of the rules, he refused to wear socks with his shoes. In his teens, he is remembered as someone who was always trying to make a statement. And he never stopped trying, as evidenced by his trademark dashikis and traditional African wear. His clothes were not a cultural costume, but an expression of his identity, who he was. His refusal to be anyone other than who God created him to be is the quality that over the years endeared him to so many people and touched so many lives.
Earl graduated from S. M. Tompkins High School in 1968 and continued his education at Morehouse College in Atlanta , Georgia , earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science in 1972. Earl furthered his studies at the Cleveland State University College of Law. While in Cleveland, Earl was the assistant to the NAACP Branch Executive Secretary. He was quickly promoted to director of the NAACP Project Rebound , a service center that provided a full range of social service support programs for released offenders.
While at Morehouse, he met a virtuous lady, Ruby Dallas of Clark College. He and Ruby were united in holy matrimony on August 30, 1975. On September 4, 1986, Michael Omar Shinhoster brought more joy and love into their lives, becoming the newest addition to their family. To Ruby, Earl was a loving and devoted husband and father to their son. To Earl, Ruby was a loving and supportive wife on whom he depended and a caring mother to their son .
Throughout the years, Earl served in many capacities striving to uphold justice and high standards of civil and human rights and education. His over-thirty-year career in the NAACP, other civil rights organizations and as an activist of voter rights has helped to shape policies affecting millions. As the acting executive director and chief executive officer of the NAACP from 1995 to 1996, Earl was responsible for the daily operations and management of the organization nationally. During his tenure, more than $1 million of a $4.8 million debt was removed from the NAACP's books, and membership grew from 600,000 to nearly 1 million.
Earl received multiple awards and honors for his service in the community as a civil rights activist. In addition to Earl's career achievements, he was affiliated with numerous organizations to reinforce his commitment to civil rights in his community, the nation, and in Africa. Earl undoubtedly acted as a change agent on national and international fronts, fighting for the rights of people of color and protecting the human rights of all citizens of the world.

Earl T. Shinhostermade his transition on June 11,2000, leaving to cherish wonderful and precious memories: wife, Ruby Shinhoster of Decatur, Georgia; one son, Michael Omar Shinhoster of Decatur, Georgia ; brother, Richard Shinhoster (Lillian) of Savannah, Georgia; sister, Margaret Shinhoster Carthon (Johnny) of Savannah, Georgia; brother, George Shinhoster (Charlotte) of Charlotte, North Carolina; sister, Yvonne Shinhoster Lamb (Gregory) of Washington, D.C.; sister, Deborah Shinhoster Richards (Leonard) of San Antonio, Texas; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Mr. Jody and Mrs. Hattie Dallas of East Point, Georgia; sister-in-law, Hattie Jeanette Dallas of College Park, Georgia; brother-in-law, Jody Dallas (Patricia); and a host of uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
Career Highlights Aide to The Honorable George Busbee, Governor of the State of Georgia Project Administrator for the NAACP Community Development Resource Center NAACP Southeast Regional Director NAACP National Field Secretary NAACP Interim Senior Administrator/CEO NAACP Acting Executive Director/ CEO National Democratic Institute (NDI) Field Director Southern Regional Council (SRC) Voting Rights Program, Interim Director State of Georgia Coordinator of Voter Education
NAACP Directorof Voter Empowerment & Coordinator, Census 2000 Initiative
Honors, Awards, and Special Accomplishments NAACP, Georgia State Conference of Branches, Freedom Fighter Award NAACP Service Award President's Award, Southern Christian Leadership Conference Civil Rights Achievement Award, Alumni Association, Morehouse College Outstanding Leadership in Civil Rights Award , Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc. Citizen of the Year Award , Kappa Alpha Alpha Chapter, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Chairman of the Subcommittee on Alternative Dispute Resolution as appointed by Ch ief Judge of the United States District Court, Northern District of Georgia Developed the Friend to Friend Mentor Program
Affiliations, Past and Present Chairman, Georgia Delegation to the National Summit on Africa President, Sister Cities Association of Greater Decatur, Inc. Board of Directors, Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum Associate Director, BLACHUD Research Center The Afrocentric Global Exchange The Nations Housing Investment Corp Board of Directors Life Member, NAACP Member, Southern Christian Leadership Conference Arena Players, Inc. Carter Memorial Church of God in Christ, Baltimore, MD Board of Management, Butler Street YMCA Executive Committee, Atlanta, Georgia NAACP Branch Good Shepherd Church of God in Christ, Atlanta, Georgia President, Connie Wembly Youth Council

International Tours and Assignments Accra, Ghana - Delegate 5th African-American Summit Durban, South Africa- Voter Education Consultant, ANC/KZN- African Renaissance Festival Nigeria, West Africa- Delegate, Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) Election Observation Mission to Nigeria, West Africa, to monitor state elections Business development mission to consult with the Ghana Olympic Committee and the Burkina Faso Olympic Committee Delegate, Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) Election Observation Mission to Nigeria, West Africa Delegate, Third African, African-American Summit, Dakar, Senegal NAACP, European Conference of Branches (Tour), Rheinstein, Germany NAACP Official Delegation to South Africa to Johannesburg, South Africa Voter Education/Mobilization Training for the African National Congress Project Interchange Seminar, Israel Tour, American Jewish Committee FESPACO- American Film Festival Burkina Faso, West Africa Institute of Black People, Constituent Assembly, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, West Africa West Africa Tour: Senegal, Mali, and Burkina Faso, U.S. Committee on UNICEF, City of Decatur, Georgia (Sister City Program with Burkina Faso) International Youth Council Conference on East/West Relations and Conference on Racism and Xenophobia, European Youth Center, Strasburg, France and London Holy Jerusalem Writer's Conference, Damona, Israel International Youth Conference, Kingston, Jamaica
"The strong men keep a-comin' on The strong men git stronger."
- Sterling A.Brown

Gift From God
You are a gift fro1n God A ray of sunshine A beacon of hope Our son and legacy
Even before your birth, you were Our promise
As you grew in your birth mother's womb, we Anxiously awaited your arrival
We watched the miracle of birth unfold, as You were lifted high overhead The first son The likeness of God
You are our gift from God Your name is Michael 01nar Michael, because you are destined
To carry God's message Omar, because you are the first son
Respected by all prophets Feared by the evil-doers Stand tall, Michael Omar, no doors Can be closed to you, no obstacles Can impede your path; grow in Grace; Ascend to your rightful
Place with the father
You are our gift from God A ray of sunshine A beacon of hope Our son and legacy
You have been entrusted to us; For Care, security, teaching and love:
We are your parents
You are a gift from God Our son and legacy
For: Michael Omar Shinhoster DOB 9-4-86, 1:08PM By: Earl T. Shinhoster

PRELUDE

PROCESSIONAL

PASTORAL REMARKS ............................................................................ Bishop Eddie L. Long

PRAYER ................................................................................ The ReverendS. S. Robinson, Jr.

SCRIPTURE READINGS:
The Old Testament ............................................................................. Elder Tommy Powell The New Testament .............................................................. The Reverend James Orange

SELECTION ......................................................................................................... Carolyn Foster

TRIBUTE ............................................................................................. Yvonne Shinhoster Lamb

READING ........................................................................................................... Michael Rogers

REFLECTIONS (Three Minutes, Please)
W. W. Law, President Emeritus, Savannah Branch NAACP The Honorable Don Siegelman, Governor, State of Alabama Kweisi Mfume, President/CEO, NAACP The Reverend Joseph Lowery, Chairman, Black Leadership Forum I PresidentEmeritus, SCLC Nelson B. Rivers, Ill, Director, National Field Operations, NAACP Jimmy Bing, Friend

SELECTION ...................................................... ........................................ ............ Sylvia L. Ruth

REFLECTIONS (Three Minutes, Please)
Mildred McClain, President, Citizens for Environmental Justice Ezra Mpshontshe, Councilor of Public Affairs, Representing the South African Ambassador The Reverend Benjamin L. Hooks, Former Executive Director, NAACP Brenda Cornelius, Director of Public Relations, Governor's Office, State of Georgia Bishop Ralph Lewis, Pastor, New Day Fellowship Michael Rogers, Friend

OBITUARY (Read Silently)

THE lORD'S PRAYER ......................................................................................... Jackie McKee

EULOGY ...................................................................................... The Reverend Julius C. Hope National Director of Religious Affairs, NAACP

RECESSIONAL

POSTLUDE

~ntermnt
Kennedy Memorial Gardens 2500 River Road
Ellenwood, Georgia

Jallharrs

John Davis Gene Elder Symther Fallen

AI Hagan Derrick Kayongo Maceo Williams

~onorar1r Jallharrs

Jimmy Bing Curley Clark Burnice Holmes

Fred Rasheed George Ray Charles White

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The family of Earl T. Shinhoster is deeply grateful for all expressions of care and love. Your thoughts and prayers will comfort and strengthen us during our bereavement and for this we thank you. May God bless you and keep you with the peace you have given us and may you forever abide in the enduring presence of His love.
The Family
A special thank you to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) for the establishment of the Earl T. Shinhoster Memorial Fund. This fund is dedicated to the higher education of his son , Michael Omar Shinhoster. Contributions to the fund may be made at any branch of the Citizens Trust Bank of Atlanta, Georgia or mailed to:
Citizens Trust Bank West Side Branch 965 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, S.W. Atlanta, Georgia 30314

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