1929 – 2014

Fred Phelps

American pastor and activist (1929-2014)

pastorlawyer

Born

1929-11-13, Meridian

Died

2014-03-19

Birthplace state

Mississippi

Biography

Fred Waldron Phelps Sr. was an American minister and disbarred lawyer who served as the pastor of the Westboro Baptist Church, worked as a civil rights attorney, and ran for statewide election in Kansas. A divisive and controversial figure, he gained national attention for his homophobic views and protests near the funerals of gay people, AIDS victims, military veterans, and disaster victims whom he believed were killed as a result of God punishing the U.S. for having "bankrupt values" and tolerating homosexuality. Phelps founded the Westboro Baptist Church, a Topeka, Kansas-based independent Primitive Baptist congregation, in 1955. It has been described by the Southern Poverty Law Center as "arguably the most obnoxious and rabid hate group in America". Its signature slogan, "God Hates Fags", remains the name of the group's principal website.

Occupation

Fred Phelps is recorded as a pastor and a lawyer, born in Mississippi (1929–2014).

Connections to Mississippi

Fred Phelps was born in Meridian, Mississippi in 1929. Explore other notable figures from Mississippi, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

Other notable figures from Mississippi›Mississippihistory ›Historic sites in Mississippi›

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Everything a full report reveals about Meridian

Fred Phelps came from Meridian. A full Aubrey report on Meridian pulls together everything the historical record holds about that place, from the first settlers to the twentieth century:

Overview

An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.

The Land

The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.

Geology

The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.

LiDAR Terrain

Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.

Conflict & War

The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.

The Civil War

The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.

The Soldiers

The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.

Native Heritage

The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.

Settlement

Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.

The Community

How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.

Rivers & Rail

The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.

Notable People

The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.

Historical Maps

Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.

Finds & Access

Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.

Literature

The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.

Spotlight

A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.

Points of Interest

The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.

Timeline

The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.

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More notable figures from Mississippi

Other historical figures born in Mississippi, ranked by historical prominence.

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American blues musician (1913–1983)

Jim Henson

American puppeteer (1936–1990)

John Lee Hooker

American blues musician (1912 or 1917–2001)

Frequently asked about Fred Phelps

Who was Fred Phelps?

Fred Phelps was American pastor and activist (1929-2014), born in Mississippi (1929 – 2014).

When and where was Fred Phelps born?

Fred Phelps was born on 1929-11-13 in Meridian.

When did Fred Phelps die?

Fred died on 2014-03-19.

What was Fred Phelps known for?

Fred Phelps is recorded as a pastor and a lawyer.

Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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