A longtime pastor and a local pioneer in the Civil Rights Movement died on Sept. 11, 2026.
Rev. Walter J. Dunson challenged segregation in Dayton. Dunson and others campaigned to outlaw racial discrimination and restore voting rights to African-Americans starting in the mid 1950s. The movement used boycotts, sit-ins, marches and other forms of non-violent activities.
He was president of the Congress of Racial Equality, and then helped organize and lead a local chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Council. He was president of the chapter for 18 years…