Reverend Angelo Henderson

Reverend Angelo B. Henderson is Co-Clergy Leader and Associate Pastor of Worship, Vision and Emerging Ministries and Clergy Advisor to more than 35 ministries. He was recruited to Hope UMC and full-time ministry by Senior Pastor Dr. Carlyle Fielding Stewart III in 2004 to join his staff to implement his vision and work as his chief trouble-shooter and problem-solver.

Rev. Angelo had spent the last two decades as a journalist covering real estate, development, small business, minority business, economic development, courts and crime for newspapers including: The Detroit News, The St. Petersburg Times in Florida and the Courier Journal in Louisville, Kentucky.

Working as deputy Detroit bureau chief of the Wall Street Journal in New York City, Angelo B. Henderson was honored with the 1999 Pulitzer Prize for distinguished feature writing. His dramatic narrative detailed the lives affected by an attempted drugstore robbery that ended in the robber’s death. The Pulitzer Prize, the most prestigious award given for journalistic excellence, is presented annually by Columbia University in New York City. He is the 22nd African American to win this award since its inception in 1917. He joins the ranks of literary giants Toni Morrison, Alice Walker and the late Gwendolyn Brooks. To date, he remains the only African American ever at The Wall Street Journal, considered “the World’s Most Influential Newspaper”, to win such an honor.

In June 2000, Mr. Henderson was honored once again by Columbia University as one of the nation’s best reporters on race and ethnicity in America. He was among several journalists – including CBS News anchor Dan Rather – who presented their distinguished work to editors and broadcast executives who set newsroom agendas and can implement changes as part of Columbia’s Workshop on Journalism, Race and Ethnicity. The previous year’s honorees included Tom Brokaw, anchor, of NBC Nightly News and Michel McQueen, correspondent of ABC News Nightline.

Mr. Henderson was named one of 39 African-Americans Achievers To Watch in the next millennium by SuccessGuide magazine alongside author/professor Michael Eric Dyson; Linda Johnson Rice, president and chief operating officer of Ebony Magazine’s Johnson Publishing Co.; Earl “Butch” Graves Jr., president and chief operating officer of publishers of Black Enterprise Magazine; District of Illinois Congressman Jesse L. Jackson Jr.; and National Public Radio talk-show host and commentator Tavis Smiley. These were climbers in mid-career who are expected to make history and set the course for future generations.

He was ordained a deacon at Hartford Memorial Baptist Church in 1998 and was ordained in ministry there in 2003 under Rev. Dr. Charles G. Adams, serving as Youth Church Worship Leader and a Bible teacher.

Outside of Hope, Rev. Angelo travels around the country lecturing and preaching. In response to growing demand, Mr. Henderson became president of his own company, Angelo Ink L.C.C., a media-consulting firm that provides motivational speaking, media services, training and development to professional and aspiring journalists, corporate executives, support staff and civic organizations.

For the last 10 years, Rev. Angelo has been considered a radio personality, having hosted “Inside Detroit” with Mildred Gaddis for six years, his own show “Your Voice with Angelo Henderson” for 4 years and now “KISS Sunday Today” on Sunday mornings from 6 to 10 a.m. on 105.9 FM.

He earned a Bachelor of Arts in journalism in 1985 from the University of Kentucky, where he was recently inducted in to the University of Kentucky Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame. He graduated from the Ecumenical Theological Seminary, specializing in Urban Ministry. Rev. Angelo studied: business and economic journalism at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania; leadership at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass; and magazine publishing at Howard University in Washington, D.C.  He is a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.

Born in Louisville, Kentucky to the late Roger Henderson and Ruby Henderson. He moved to California’s Bay Area as a teenager, where his mother, sister and much of his family still reside.

Mr. Henderson is married to Felecia Dixon Henderson, who was recently named Assistant Managing Editor of the The Detroit News, directing a staff of 50-plus, which includes reporters, editors, copy editors, news page designers and graphic artists who are part of the Features, Presentation and Graphics Departments.

They are the proud parents of 14-year-old Grant, who is an aspiring NBA-star, lawyer and professional sports agent.

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