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Today in History: Interview with IB's 'Lone Negro' Sept. 29, 1966

On this day in 1966, Rev. Atwell Stewart was recognized in the Imperial Beach Star-News as IB's "lone negro." Atwell came to IB to be the Vicar at St. Mary's by the Sea.

On this day in history in 1966 the Imperial Beach Star-News published a profile of new Imperial Beach resident Rev. Atwell Stewart who is referred to in the article as Imperial Beach's "lone Negro."

Stewart came to Imperial Beach with his wife Sarah Louise to Imperial Beach in spring 1966 to serve as a Vicar of the predominately white St. Mary’s by the Sea Episcopal Church. Being the “lone negro” in Imperial Beach was not a big deal to Atwell.

“When I was a child,” Stewart told the paper. “ I was the only negro all through school. So this is not a strange system. This is what I’m accustomed to; the other way was strange to me.”

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According to the story, Stewart was only one of three African American Vicars serving in Episcopal churches for a white congregation in the country at the time. Still, Stewart openly questioned whether his appointment to the position was worth mention or newsworthy, asking if it's really news when a church "does what it is right to do."

Rev. Frederick Fenton of St. John's Episcopal Church in Chula Vista, who marched in Selma, Alabama and was involved in the era's Civil Rights movement, called Stewart's appointment a breakthrough.

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"The church is so far behind the government that it hardly gives the church the riht to speak for the Lord at all," Fentold told the Star-News.

Stewart would go on to say his priority was that the church practice what it preaches.

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