41. Reverend Roger C. Williams

The election of Barack Obama as seen through Jesse Jackson’s tears at Obama’s victory speech said more than any pundit could about the depth of the struggle for recognition and fairness in America. But as we watched the historic transition when Obama left the embrace of a singular community to become a global hero, it highlighted the void in grassroots leadership in black America. Though he is a young preacher, Roger Williams is an old soul and a throwback to the days when a black Baptist minister was the voice of a community. He has no plum appointments or government job; instead he is completely immersed in the work of his congregation. Equal parts fire and brimstone and gentle mentor and leader, Williams just may be the greatest orator on Long Island. He is the co-chair of the Enough is Enough Campaign, a coalition that encourages positive messaging to the youth through the media. He is also the newly appointed head of the Glen Cove NAACP. If rumors of his rise in the community are true, we may be witnessing the next generation of great leadership in the African American community.