Rev. Horace Sheffield III is more than a pastor; he’s a leader rooted in purpose, legacy, and service. Describing himself as a “social change agent with a spiritual mandate,” his work sits at the intersection of faith and community transformation. As the son of renowned civil rights activist Horace Sheffield Jr., Sheffield was exposed to leadership, advocacy, and organizing from an early age, experiences that would ultimately shape his own path. READ MORE
As conversations sparked during Black History Month continue into the rest of the year, leaders across faith, activism, and media are asking a deeper question: How do we move from remembrance to sustained progress? For Horace L. Sheffield III, the answer lies in persistence, spiritual discipline, and collective action. A longtime pastor, social activist, author, and media personality, Sheffield has spent decades advocating for social justice and community empowerment while encouraging individuals to anchor their leadership in faith. Read More
The Detroit pastor and organizer discusses navigating political hostility while expanding affordable housing, free healthcare, and programs serving everyone from children to seniors
Rev. Horace Sheffield III, the father of Mayor Mary Sheffield, is endorsing Democratic candidate Jocelyn Benson for governor.
“I grew up in the era of the Civil Rights Movement,” Sheffield said in a press release issued by the Benson campaign. “My dad chaired the Birmingham Voter Education Project. James Farmer said something powerful: politics is about who gets what and how much. If you don’t want to participate, you’re letting someone else decide what you don’t have.”
A candid conversation on fatherhood, faith, and the moments that shaped Mary Sheffield’s path to leadership
Rev. Horace Sheffield III joined Local 4 News to talk about preventing gun violence after the Detroit block party shooting that left two dead and 19 injured on July 7, 2024.
Tobacco companies woo Black and LGBTQ+ allies to loosen vaping regulations and fight Biden administration plan to ban menthol cigarettes
In 2022, Earl Fowlkes, a Black gay activist, denounced tobacco companies for marketing e-cigarettes to his communityas the latest way to hook people on nicotine.
A year laterhe declared that vaping saves Black and LGBTQ+ lives…
CEO of Detroit Association of Black Organizations turns his attention to activism in the next generation
Rev. Horace L. Sheffield III was born in Detroit during the Civil Rights and Labor Movement. The legacy of his father, Horace L. Sheffield Jr., who was the president of the Negro American Labor Council (NALC), helped shape and expose him to a great model of servant leadership and prophetic societal challenge. With this foundation, social activism has driven many of his efforts to help move change in the Black community.
Rev. Sheffield is the CEO of The Detroit Association of Black Organizations (DABO), where he leads and builds the Detroit community by developing the skills, abilities, and resources that organizations and communities need to be sustainable in this fast-changing world. The organization’s primary purpose is to impact and enrich lives across Detroit. Under Rev. Sheffield, DABO has had many successful initiatives, including COVID-19 testing and vaccinations, blood pressure management, hosting leadership training, HIV prevention, community development, and much more… Read More