1 minute read
Danny J. Bakewell, Sr.
from John Jackson Kennedy: A Master Class in How to Live and Love in Service to Your Community
by LLKassoc
JOHN J. KENNEDY – A DEDICATED SERVANT OF THE PEOPLE
I was first introduced to John when he was in his early 20’s by my good friends Rev. William Turner (New Revelation Baptist Church) and Rev. Stanley Lewis (Friendship Baptist Church), who wanted to introduce me to this dynamic young man that they wanted me to support for President of the Pasadena NAACP.
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From the moment I met John, I was impressed. His dynamic personality, and more importantly his passion for wanting to help Black people in Pasadena move forward in a positive and productive way, was inspiring. Needless to say, John persuaded me to support his candidacy and despite the challenges he had in getting into office despite his overwhelming victory, from the moment he took on the mantel of leadership he proved himself to be worthy of the support and confidence I first saw in him. In my opinion John is/was and has been the greatest President in the history of the Pasadena NAACP. Since that first meeting, and since John gave up leading the NAACP, he continued to be the dynamic Leader I believed he would be.
John was a true public servant. He could have been a titan of industry and I have no doubt, had he decided to dedicate his life to working within a corporate structure he would have made his way up the ranks and by now have been a high-ranking executive or even the CEO of a Fortune 500 company. But that is not who John J. Kennedy was. He was a man of the people, he found inspiration in fighting for the down and out, he was committed to battling for a better today for all. He truly found his motivation by doing God’s work for the community and the people he loved.
Pasadena has lost a phenomenal Councilman. His family has lost a brother an uncle a cousin. And all of us who can say they were close to John can say we have lost an endearing and Blessed friend.
John, I cannot understand why God decided to take you home when there was so much work still to be done, but, I want to say thank you for all that you have done, and rest assured we will continue doing the work that you started here in your beloved City of Pasadena.
Danny J. Bakewell, Sr. Chairman of The Bakewell Company Executive Publisher of The Los Angeles Sentinel President Emeritus of NNPA (Black Press America)
