Pastor, Charity Missionary Baptist Church, North Charleston, SC.

                                   From the small farming community of Bennett's Point, SC. and nearby Charleston,

                                         Rev. Nelson B. Rivers, III, son of Merelyn and the late Nelson Rivers, Jr., is a preacher

                                             of the Gospel, civil rights professional, and community organizer.  He has served as the

                          guest preacher at churches in 23 states from Florida to California and Hawaii.

                                              Rev. Rivers is married to the former Carolyn Smalls of Charleston and has four children 

                                          and six grandchildren.  He received his bachelor's degree from Wiberforce University

                                 in Ohio.  He was ordained at the Olivet Baptist Church of Christ in Fayetteville, GA.

                         by the late Dr. Howard W. Creecy, Sr.  He is pursuing his Master of Divinity at

                                                    Erskine Theological Seminary, Due West, SC.

In 2014, he was appointed Vice President for Religious Affairs and External Relations by Rev. Al Sharpton for the National Actional Network (NAN).  He is responsible for increasing the impact of NAN's actions and leadership in the work for justice and civil rights by maintaining, increasing and strengthening its partnerships with the Black Church and other faith communities to motivate an even more active and engaged prophetic work for justice.  Rev. Rivers is also charged with engaging the involvement with NAN's advocacy and action campaigns from labor unions, fraternities, sororities, civic organizations, professional associations, other civil rights groups and African American constituencies within major corporations.  He also serves as the co-president of the Charleston Area Justice Ministry (CAJM).

In September 2008, Rev. Rivers became the Pastor of Charity Missionary Baptist Church in the Liberty Hill Community of North Charleston, SC.  He is committed to preaching and teaching the Word of the liberating "good news" of Jesus Christ.  Under his leadership, more than 450 members have joined the Charity family!  Charity is blessed with 40 active ministries.  Charity's scriptural focus is Ephesians 4:3 "endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

For over 38 years Rev. Rivers has worked at every level of the NAACP, including President, North Charleston SC Branch; Executive Director, South Carolina State Conference; Director, Southeast Region; Chief Operating Officer, twice as Chief of Field Operations, and Vice President of Stakeholder Relations from 2008 unitl May 2014.  Rev. Rivers led the NAACP's successful efforts to significantly increase the Association's support from various key stakeholders including the Black church, faith groups, civic groups, fraternities, sororities and civil rights and progressive organizations.

His work led to the election of more than 300 new Black elected officials in South Carolina between 1986 and 1994.  He was a leading organizer of the largest civil rights demonstration in the history of South Carolina when over 50,000 marched on the state capitol in January 2000 to demand the removal of the Confederate Battle Flag.

He is on the Board of Trustees of Wilberforce University.  From 1994 to 1998, he serves as president of the university's alumni association.  During his tenure, membership tripled and the alumni contributed over $2 million to the univesity.  Rev. Rivers has appeared on various radio and television programs including NPR, CNN, 60 Minutes, and BET Tonight with Ed Gordon among others.  He had a speaking role in the movie Separate but Equal starring Sidney Poiter.

​He has received numerous awards for his civil rights and community work, including:

• Order of the Palmetto, the State of South Carolina's highest award

• Honorary Doctor of Humanities Degree, Wilberforce University

• Induction in Wilberforce University Association Hall of Fame

• Induction into the South Carolina Black Hall of Fame

• 2003 Harvey Gantt Triumph Award recipient, Greater Charleston YWCA

• Medger Evers Award of Excellence as the top NAACP staff professional

• Honored with month of October, 2008 South Carolina African american Heritage Calendar

• Among 10 Outstanding People of 2009 by Post and Courier

• The Rev. Julius C. Hope Award, 14th National Religious Leader Summit, 2012                            

Rev. Rivers is guided by the words of Jesus the Christ found in the Gospel of Mark 10:43: "Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant."  He is honored to serve as a servant of the people of God!