Leaders Honor Late Pastor Cecil L. Murray’s Legacy of Compassionate Service at FAME Church in Los Angeles

Political figures and community and spiritual leaders paid tribute to the late Rev. Cecil L. Murray at First African Methodist Episcopal Church (FAME) in Los Angeles where he served as pastor for 27 years. Speakers included Mayor Karen Bass, former mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Vice President Kamala Harris and religious leaders who praised his dedication to serving the community with compassion and empathy. Murray gained national attention during the 1992 riots when he helped calm tensions and played a key role in rebuilding South Los Angeles afterwards. He retired from FAME in 2004 but continued teaching as an ethics professor at USC until recently, where he trained over 1,000 faith leaders on how to address community needs by moving from “description to prescription”. Murray passed away aged 94 after a lifetime of service and activism.