My Grandfather R. J. Glasco Sr (1916-1986) was best known as Rev. Glasco. He made major contributions to the Civil Rights Movement, NAACP, and M.I.A.  When the Montgomery Improvement Association (M.I.A.) decided to payroll a staff Rev. Glasco was appointed Martin Luther King’s Executive Secretary.  Rev. Glasco was an active member of the NAACP, Officer of the Transportation Committee (during the bus boycotts 1955-1956), chaired the M.I.A. finance committee, and also organized the committee that would ultimately be responsible for Negro’s being able to vote.  Rev. Glasco was also one of the second indicted group during the bus boycott trials.  Glasco, accompanied by Martin Luther King Jr., Ralph D. Abernathy, and Rosa Parks were amongst the first arrested, and jailed for the attempt to organize Bus Boycott’s. In my findings Martin Luther King was very loyal to his staff and followings. Court documents from various trials provide proof that King was questioned several times regarding my Grandfathers involvement in the M.I.A., and on all occasions King only would give clean cut answers that were truthful, and not the least bit incriminating on my Grandfathers behalf.

My Grandmother Overa Glasco like my Grandfather was also a well educated southern scholar who obtained her Masters Degree in Education.  In 1957 after several close calls, she asked my Grandfather to step down from his active roles in the Civil Rights Movement to ensure she would not become an early widow, and that her two children would have the opportunity to be reared in a two parent home.  He respectfully accepted her requests and they relocated from Montgomery, Alabama to St. Louis Missouri where he would Pastor Mt. Bethel Missionary Baptist Church until his home going in 1986.

During my Grandfathers life he made a positive impact in every atmosphere he was permitted.