Dr. John M. Perkins, a civil-rights and religious leader who has contributed to his Jackson, Miss., community for decades, died on Friday, March 13, 2026, at age 96.
In the 1960s, amid the Civil Rights Movement in the American South, Perkins endured racial violence and false imprisonment. Afterward, he chose to use his experiences to emphasize the Christian messages of forgiveness and reconciliation through a shared belief in Jesus Christ.
He and his wife Vera Mae Perkins founded what is now the John & Vera Mae Perkins Foundation in 1983, an organization dedicated to advancing Christian community development, leadership formation and racial reconciliation. Using its national partnerships, a network of 12 legacy schools and local youth programs in Jackson, the foundation aims to develop leaders who exemplify the ideals of faith, justice and love.
“Dr. Perkins often reminded the Church that reconciliation is not optional. It is a mandate of the gospel,” the foundation said in a written release on Friday. “His vision remains a guiding light for those who long to see God’s kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.”
Throughout his lifetime, Perkins authored 17 books and other writings, earned 19 honorary doctoral degrees, and co-founded the Christian Community Development movement, a holistic ministry philosophy aimed at restoring marginalized communities.
Earlier this morning, his daughter Elizabeth Perkins expressed words of both love and loss on Facebook. “To the world, he was Dr. John M. Perkins, a voice for justice, reconciliation, and the gospel of Jesus Christ. … But to me, he was Daddy,” she said.
“My heart is broken, yet full of gratitude for the gift of being his daughter,” Elizabeth continued. “His life was marked by courage, humility, faith, and love. He poured himself out for God, for people, and for the work of reconciliation.”
Perkins’ family and community swiftly came together after his passing to speak kind words on his behalf.
“Though we grieve, we do so with eternal hope,” the foundation said in Friday’s release. “Dr. Perkins ran his race with endurance, kept the faith, and finished well. His life stands as testimony that the gospel is powerful enough to heal wounds, transform communities, and reconcile what the world declares impossible.”
In lieu of flowers, the Perkins family invites those touched by his life and ministry to honor his legacy through gifts to the John & Vera Mae Perkins Foundation, continuing his lifelong work of training a new generation to seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.