Reverdy Cassius Ransom (January 4, 1861 – April 22, 1959) was an American Christian socialist, civil rights activist, and leader in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. He was ordained and served as the 48th A.M.E. bishop. Biography Early years Reverdy Cassius Ransom was born in Flushing, Ohio, on January 4, 1861. His father, whose name is not recorded, was a Native American, and his mother, Harriet Johnson, was an African American who sacrificed herself in order to ensure Reverdy's education. Ransom was introduced to the African Methodist Episcopal church (A.M.E.) in 1865, by his mother and stepfather, in Washington, Ohio. Although he was not used to the idea of attending church he was forced due to his stepfather's family influence, he was intrigued by the church's fight for civil rights and economic stability for the African-American community. He was also intrigued by the militant leaders who were head of the church, such as Daniel Payne, Benjamin W. Arnett, and Henry McNeal Turner. While Ransom had not fully committed to the church as a young boy, the A.M.E. Churches' discussion of racial issues helped strengthen his religious consciousness. In his youth, Ransom married and had a child. His mother raised this child, his first son, while Ransom's wife worked, because his mother was dedicated to Ransom's education and future. Ransom began his higher education at Wilberforce University. Although he attended Oberlin College for some small portion of his higher education, he returned to Wilberforce University very soon with renewed appreciation for its many positive qualities. While studying and preparing for ordained ministry at Wilberforce, Ransom became distanced from his first wife due to a growing intellectual chasm. They eventually divorced, and he remarried. The Emma Ransom House YWCA in Harlem, New York City, was named in honor of his second wife Emma S. Ransom. She helped many young black women to better their education and lives. Career Bishop Reverdy C. Ransom served the A.M.E. Church as a minister in the late 1880s. During this time, he witnessed the harsh despair and poverty that African Americans suffered in the industrial centers in Altoona and Alleghany, Pennsylvania. After examining the role of church in the community, he decided that the best way to fight the poor living conditions of African Americans was to establish programs that taught self-improvement. Reverdy C. Ransom was a co-founder and featured speaker at the second meeting of the