Former director returns to Southside

By Krisy Gashler • Journal Staff • July 26, 2008 ITHACA — The Rev. Louis Cunningham helped train Muhammad Ali, worked as president of the New York State Baptist Convention and holds two honorary doctorates. But his proudest achievement, he said, was being involved in the civil rights movements in Ithaca and Philadelphia. Cunningham was pastor of Ithaca's Calvary Baptist Church and director of the Southside Community Center from 1965 to 1973. He currently works as pastor of the Love Zion Baptist Church in Philadelphia. A former Golden Gloves boxer, Cunningham also helped establish the boxing program that's now housed at the Greater Ithaca Activities Center. During the turbulent civil rights era, Cunningham worked in Ithaca to force local trade unions to accept black members, to make quality, low-income housing a priority and... [read full story]