Howard Thurman (1899–1981) was hailed by Life magazine as one of the great preachers of the 20th century. He was a nationally recognized theologian, distinguished religious leader, and prolific author, whose radical nonviolent philosophy played a pivotal role in shaping the civil rights movement. As the first Black dean of Boston University’s Marsh Chapel, he became a spiritual adviser to Martin Luther King, Jr. He wrote over 20 published books such as Meditations of the Heart, With Head and Heart: The Autobiography of Howard Thurman, and Disciplines of the Spirit.