ATLANTA — An Atlanta civil rights activist known for advocating for Black servicemembers in the military and as well as economic equality, has died at 88.

Dr. Joe Beasley came from "humble beginnings." Born on December 27, 1936, to sharecroppers in Inman, Georgia, in Fayette County, he went to school in a segregated one-room schoolhouse. However, he would soon emerge as a "global champion whose impact stretched from the cotton fields of South Georgia to the corridors of the Vatican."

His advocacy work and fight for equality started while he was in the United States Air Force Security Forces, where he spent 21 years. While serving, he "fought for recognition and equality for African American servicemembers."

Following his military service, Dr Beasley continued serving. He was a "towering

See Full Page