I Was Just Thinking…Buffoon or sincere man of God?

Viewers choose sides to evaluate minister’s inaugural closing prayer

By Norma Adams-Wade

Many people vowed to not watch Donald Trump’s  inauguration as the United States’ 47^th president on January 20 this year. Those who watched, though, clearly had opposing opinions about the event’s closing prayer presented – some say performed – by Detroit minister Rev. Lorenzo Sewell.

Some viewers assert that the Detroit, Michigan man of the cloth was in full gear as a minstrel buffoon at the podium. Sewell, 43, is African American, a Republican, and pastor of the nondenominational 180 Church, located in a poverty community on Detroit’s West side. 

The minister extensively quoted civil rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s memorable 1963 “I Have A Dream” speech at the close of new president Donald Trump’s swearing-in. However, Sewell did not attribute the words to Dr. King, nor did Sewell even mention Dr. King’s name. The date of the ceremony happened to fall on the federal holiday that commemorates Dr. King’s Jan. 15, 1929 birthday. 

Sewell was one of three clerics of different faiths who gave benedictions at the inauguration. Sewell said his prayer was meant to honor Dr King on his national holiday as well as ask God to care for and guide Trump as Trump begins to lead the nation.

Critical viewers did not buy Sewell’s explanation and described his prayer as a “performance” to impress the public and Trump, who Sewell has stated in interviews that he admires. Critics suggested that the prayer was a way to self-promote and open doors for future gain as a Trump supporter – more specifically an African American Trump supporter who could stand out and cash in. 

Hijacking MLK Jr.’s speech

Sewell is not without good works. In fact, Reports about his church’s community outreach programs for youths and adults are impressive. Evidence shows that he knows how to help supply what his community needs. 

His error, it seems, is in attaching himself to a largely unfavorable mentor (Trump) and using a subservient and brown-nosy approach to curry favor with the nation’s new president.

The inaugural benediction put Sewell in the national spotlight, but at what price? His presentation was replete with wide-opened arm gestures. 

The nondenominational pastor used a classic Baptist preacher’s  booming voice and cadence. His head tilted far back as he stared straight up at the ceiling directly above him, with his eyes bucked wide and an equally wide, toothy grin. 

Sewell thanked God for Trump and for saving him from an apparent assassin’s  bullet on July 13, 2024 and for calling Trump “for such a time as this.” 

Then as if they were his own words, the minister repeated long, familiar passages from Dr. King’s 1963 “I Have A Dream” speech, using Dr. King’s preacher intonations and phasing. 

“Let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. … Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania. … from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado. …from the curvaceous hilltops (slopes) of California…but not only that…from Stone Mountain, Georgia…from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. …And when we let freedom ring, we will be able to speed up that day  when …Black men and White men, Protestants and Catholics, Jews and Gentile will be able to sing …’Free at last…”

Sewell quoted way more than that verbatim. Yet, no attribution. Viewers – many who unfortunately had likely never heard Dr. King’s speech — were left to assume that those words were Sewell’s. 

They likely missed the point that the minister seemed to be giving a subtle homage to Dr. King, in that the inauguration coincidentally fell on the January 20 national holiday commemorating the civil right icon’s Jan. 15, 1929 birthday.

I could be less kind and say Sewell’s prayer bordered clearly on plagiarism. I will acquiesce, though, and speculate that  maybe Sewell simply forgot to attribute his words to their rightful author, Dr. King Jr. 

Two vocal critics, social media responses

Two well-known and opinionated media commentators, who are African American, sharpened their fangs as they evaluated Sewell’s prayer and its political and social implications for people of color and society in general.

Roland Martin is a news commentator and host of #RolandMartinUnfiltered on Black Star Network and YouTube. Joy Reid is a news commentator and host of The ReidOut on MSCNBC-cable TV.

Roland Martin was his typical blunt self on his show while commenting about Sewell: “What he did was give a minstrel performance for the ages, to the world,” Martin spewed. He expressed disgust “that he (Sewell) would bastardize those words” of Dr. King and “do some fake-___ audition for … some acting school. … 

“I’m just out here doing my shuffle for the White folks. … You were presenting yourself to America as a lawn jockey….This thing was a clown show,” Martin raged.

Joy Reid echoed similar sentiments on her show: “I’m not sure what the point was,” Reid said, describing the prayer as “over-the-top” and “quite performative.” She had guests on the show who also gave their negative reactions to Sewell’s prayer.

Sewell’s childhood trauma and meeting Trump

Much could explain what factors shaped Sewell’s apparent admiration for Trump, who has registered over previous years in various political parties, including Independent, Reform, and Democrat, before currently settling in as a Republican. 

One could speculate that perhaps Sewell saw an opportunity to attain the finer things in life by aligning himself with wealthy and politically powerful Trump. 

In describing his childhood, Sewell recalls the trauma of being a high school student whose father went to prison for murder and also experiencing his younger brother being killed. 

Sewell has said in various media interviews that he became despondent and a “street pharmacist” (drug dealer) who used drugs and became a gang leader. 

After he experienced a spiritual conversion, he later became a minister and pastored several Churches before taking the lead at 180 Church on the last day of 2018. 

News reports say Sewell has been a lifelong Republican who became an active Trump supporter after Trump visited the 180 Church while campaigning. Sewell then participated in various Trump political events, including accepting an offer to speak at the Republican National Convention and to be one of three clerics from different faiths who gave closing prayers at the inauguration.

Cryptocurrency a not-so-subtle financial gain?

Another benefit of Sewell’s friendship with Trump is the cryptocurrency market. Just hours after presenting one of the inaugural benedictions, the reverend appeared on social media and TV, promoting his own cryptocurrency – the memecoin $Lorenzo. 

He fell quickly in line with Trump and the new First Lady Melania Trump who weeks before had each also released their own crypto meme coins –  $Melania and $Trump. 

The new POTUS and First Lady joined the increasingly popular crypto currency market whose ultimate goal, many say, is to eventually replace paper money. 

But even that cryptocurrency move brought heat toward Sewell from some observers. Sewell explains that he plans to use the financial benefits of the digital coins to finance community service projects.

But some social media critics assert that the minister simply is cashing in on his friendship with Trump for fame and personal profit. Current media reports say the coins had a brief popularity phase, then soon plummeted in value. We will see what the future holds in that arena.

What price glory?

I was just thinking…All of the pieces of this life puzzle may coincide with Maxwell Anderson’s play “What Price Glory?” 

The 1924 play, later adapted into a 1952 war movie, seems to mirror portions of Sewell’s story. The movie questions whether a goal sought throughout the movie was worth the pain and sorrow he experienced to attain it.

In Sewell’s case, the question might be: is it worth all that? Gaining the cryptocurrency, Trump’s apparent approval – whether genuine or feigned, attaining the moments of media attention while in Trump’s presence, all while facing brutal  ridicule from his own people. What is the price of that fame?

Social media’s assessment of Sewell’s prayer

Social media comments, from Blacks and Whites, posted immediately after the inauguration ended, were mixed.

 Comments were either glowing endorsements for Sewell or pointed ridicule. There were just as many detractors as admirers. Viewers who were impressed wrote:

“Had us standing up in our living room praising Jesus!” Exuded one Anglo female on YouTube. “I love this pastor!”

“This guy was amazing. Never heard of him before, but he will not be forgotten any time soon,” endorsed a male enthusiast.

Yet another YouTube admirer wrote: “What a prayer!!!  I will be watching it again and again!”

Viewers who disapproved were just as expressive, but polar opposites in view:

“Lorenzo Sewell is an embarrassment to himself, his family, and our nation…Not sure if I’ve seen a more shameful display, ever,” a detractor was quoted in a Daily Beast media story.

A different disparager posted on YouTube: “I’m a 67-year-old Black woman. I am truly embarrassed. Such a dishonor to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.”

And yet another critic wrote:  He was chosen by them deliberately to mock us all.”

Norma Adams-Wade, is a proud Dallas native, University of Texas at Austin journalism graduate and retired Dallas Morning News senior staff writer. She is a founder of the National Association of Black Journalists.
norma_adams_wade@yahoo.com.