Dallas pastor resigns as head of civil rights organization Rainbow PUSH Coalition

Dr. Frederick Haynes, III, the senior pastor of a church in North Texas and the president of Rainbow Push Coalition, has stepped down from leadership less than a year after being with the organization.

NBC 5 obtained a letter of public resignation statement on Tuesday, April 16, in which Dr. Haynes announced his resignation as CEO and President of the civil rights movement organization effective immediately.

“I remain committed to honoring the rich history of RPC and the legacy of its esteemed leader, the incomparable Reverend Jesse L. Jackson Sr., and most significantly, to the calling and pursuit of social justice. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all who have expressed their support since my appointment in July of last year. Rest assured that my work in the fight for liberation and freedom continues.” – Dr. Frederick Haynes III

Haynes, who has been senior pastor at Friendship-West Baptist Church in Dallas for over 40 years, stayed in Dallas while leading the coalition. The pastor stated that his work at Friendship-West would expand the work done by the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, which is still based in Chicago.

Rev. Jackson, a protégé of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., parted ways with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1971 and established Operation PUSH, which initially stood for People United to Save Humanity.

The organization was later renamed the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. The group’s initiatives include advocating for minority hiring in the corporate sector and conducting voter registration drives in communities of color.

Haynes said he was inspired by Jackson’s presidential runs and was invited to speak at Rainbow PUSH after they connected in the 1990s. In July 2023, Jackson hand-picked Haynes to replace him in the Chicago civil rights organization.

The renowned Dallas pastor was officially installed on Feb. 1 at The Black Academy of Arts and Letters. Rainbow PUSH then hosted the Inaugural Social Justice Conference at Paul Quinn College on Friday, Feb. 2.

Dr. Haynes posted a Facebook reel announcing his resignation but pledging continued support for the Rainbow PUSH Coalition despite their parting ways.