The Rev. Graylan Scott Hagler, 71, a longtime Washington, D.C. pastor, theologian and fearless advocate for social justice, died Feb. 17 in the District, leaving behind a decades-long legacy of faith-rooted activism and community leadership.
“Today, with a heavy heart—one that feels the weight of an anvil—we announce that our community has suffered a tremendously terrible loss. Our Pastor Emeritus, Rev. Graylan Scott Hagler, passed away this morning after a courageous bout with cancer,” said the Rev. Jamall Calloway, senior minister at Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ (UCC) in Northeast, who succeeded Hagler after more than three decades of leadership in 2023. “This world will never know the true depth of our loss. He was utterly amazing. Now the days ahead will forever be filled with unimaginable grief and mourning.”
After longtime leadership at Plymouth, Hagler retired from the pulpit in 2022, but never from the justice fight.
In April 2025, even as his health worsened and his signature voice became weaker, Hagler supported organizers who stood outside of DC USA Shopping Center in Columbia Heights to kick off the District-based Target boycott on the anniversary of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s assassination. They urged shoppers against patronizing Target, one of several corporations that rolled back diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, in the wake of President Donald J. Trump’s 2025 return to the White House and anti-DEI policies.
Until he was no longer able to, Hagler showed up every weekend along 14th Street NW to protest the corporation. In his absence, the D.C.-based Target boycott group expanded Hagler’s work, with organizers conducting a similar act of resistance in the city where former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd in 2020.
His commitment to justice served as a source of inspiration for local leaders and national activists alike, who in November 2025, honored Hagler for his contributions— from a Nov. 21 celebration at Busboys and Poets, to the Rev. Jamal Bryant and Tamika Mallory joining in the D.C. Target boycott on Nov. 29.
“We are so happy that we were able to give him his flowers before he passed away,” Andy Shallal, founder and owner of Busboys and Poets, told The Informer. “He stood on the right side of justice for causes including Black Lives Matter, Cuba, and the Iraq War, despite knowing that it could end up being costly.”
When taking to the streets to protest on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Bryant and Mallory, as popular voices in the national Target fight, paid homage to Hagler’s leadership.
“The action on the 29th was a culmination of [Hagler’s] decades of struggle and experience of bringing people together to fight on bread and butter issues while connecting them to broader struggles like Palestine and otherwise,” organizer Dante O’Hara explained last year. “He is a true revolutionary and visionary whose presence has been felt throughout this entire process.”
‘Wonderful Community Advocate’
Born in Baltimore on March 1, 1954, Hagler became one of the city’s most recognizable faith leaders during his more than 30 years as senior minister of Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ in Northeast, D.C., advocating from the pulpit to D.C. streets.
The Rev. Wanda Thompson, pastor of Ambassador Baptist Church in Southeast, D.C., called him a “wonderful community advocate” who fought for the marginalized and oppressed.
“He is going to be sorely missed,” she told The Informer.
Under his leadership, Plymouth grew beyond a traditional congregation into a hub for civic engagement, global outreach and public witness on issues impacting marginalized communities.
Known for his bold preaching and uncompromising stance on justice, Hagler often challenged systems of inequality through both ministry and movement-building. He was a visible presence in demonstrations and interfaith coalitions addressing poverty, housing inequity, racial justice and peace advocacy. He served as co-chair of the D.C. Poor People’s Campaign and worked with national and international partners on human rights and anti-war efforts.
In November, Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George (D) said Hagler was “unafraid and unapologetic to fight for those who don’t have the voices to fight for themselves.”
“He’s unafraid to call out any leader,” she told The Informer, having worked with the faith leader before and after he pastored Plymouth, which is in Ward 4. “He’s okay with the consequences because his ultimate goal has always been protecting and fighting for our most vulnerable residents, whomever they may be.”
Despite his nearly six-year battle with laryngeal cancer, Hagler led the local Target movement, was co-founder of Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America (NACA) and advocated for affordable housing and against predatory landlords. He also co-chaired the D.C. Black Homeownership Strike Task Force established by Mayor Muriel Bowser in 2022.
The Rev. Willie Wilson, pastor emeritus of Union Temple Baptist Church, in Southeast called him a brother and a friend. He recalled Hagler joined him in a protest before the D.C. City Council against the rising cost of water bills.
“We were able to get help for D.C. residents who received help to make their payments,” Wilson said. “He fought for all of us and I feel his loss deeply.”
Faith in Action
Colleagues and congregants described Hagler as a pastor who believed faith demanded action. Whether organizing prayer vigils, speaking at rallies or mentoring young clergy and activists, he consistently urged communities to connect spiritual conviction with civic responsibility.
Throughout his career, Hagler’s outspoken positions sometimes sparked debate, but even critics acknowledged his deep commitment to uplifting those often left unheard. Supporters say his willingness to speak truth to power made him a prophetic voice in Washington’s faith and political landscape.
“He manifests what I think the attributes of Jesus are, which is to be a revolutionary in his own way,” Thompson told The Informer in November 2025. “A person who stands up for the least, the last, and the lost, the oppressed. People recognize what he’s done. He’s not one to self promote.”
Hagler retired from Plymouth Congregational UCC in 2022, closing a historic chapter in the church’s life while remaining engaged in advocacy and public dialogue.
The faith leader, activist and father also led movements in support of Palestine, gay marriage and the struggle to support workers receiving low wages and the right to create collective bargaining units. His ministry helped shape generations of leaders and expanded the role of the Black church in conversations about justice at home and abroad.
The Rev. Kenneth King, a man who called Hagler his mentor, credited him with opening his eyes to the plight of the Palestinian people. He also said that Hagler never hesitated to challenge the theological perspective that solidified the Black church’s relationship with Israel.
“The Black church really was going along with Israel [being] God’s appointed people,” King told The Informer. “Graylan went up against many Black preachers to deconstruct their understanding and theology as it relates to the Biblical text, when it came to Jews and their belief that that land was given to them, thus being able to treat the Palestinian any kind of way.”
According to close friend Parisa Norouzi, a memorial service will be held at Plymouth, 5301 North Capitol St NE, March 1at 2 p.m., on what would have been Hagler’s 72nd birthday. In lieu of flowers, the church is requesting donations to establish a fund in honor of Hagler’s legacy.
“He was a larger-than-life pastor. A valiant social justice warrior. A loving and doting father. An advocate. A mentor. He was a hero,” Calloway wrote in a statement posted to Plymouth’s website. “We are gutted. But we are thankful for his life, his service, and his witness.”