American Family Association founder passes away

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – A North Mississippi minister who became a leader in the conservative movement in America has died.

Rev. Donald Wildmon: 1938-2023

Reverend Donald Wildmon, the founder and longtime leader of the American Family Association passed away Thursday December 28th in Tupelo.

Wildmon was born in Dumas in Tippah County and graduated from Ripley High School.  In his early teens, he achieved the distinction of being the youngest person to earn the rank of Eagle Scout in the Yocona Area Council, BSA.

Wildmon was a graduate of Millsaps College and Candler School of Theology at Emory University. He was a minister in the former North Mississippi Conference of the United Methodist Church in the 1960s and 70s.

In 1977, Wildmon became concerned with the amount of what he considered “unbiblical” content on television and encouraged his congregation in Southaven to turn off their televisions for a week.

That challenge drew national attention, and later that year, Wildmon returned to Tupelo and founded the National Federation for Decency, which became known for its efforts to boycott businesses that advertised in shows that contained questionable content.

The N.F.D. later became the American Family Association, which is still headquartered in Tupelo.

Wildmon launched American Family Radio in 1991.

He led both organizations until 2010.

Donald Wildmon was 85 years old.