Rev. Cozy Bailey Receives an Honorary Doctor of Divinity from Eastern Theological Seminary

On May 16, 2025, Rev. Cozy Bailey was bestowed an honorary Doctor of Divinity from Eastern Theological Seminary. The commencement service was held at Fifth Street Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Virginia. Rev. Bailey received this honor for his social justice advocacy, rooted in theology.

Rev. Bailey serves as the President of the NAACP Virginia State Conference. He is an ordained minister and is an associate minister at First Mount Zion Baptist Church in Dumfries.  Rev. Bailey is a native of St. Louis, MO.  He is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps upon his graduation with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics.  

Rev. Bailey is a dedicated community activist who constantly pursues social justice and equity.  His work is enhanced through his involvement with a variety of organizations. He is the chair of the Prince William County Police Department Citizens Advisory Board. He is a director of the George M. Hampton Foundation, a not-for-profit foundation providing scholarships to young African American men and providing other community services.  He is a charter member of the Governor’s Virginia African American Advisory Board and serves as the vice chair.  He was appointed to the Virginia Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission, which investigates charges of judicial misconduct, in June 2021.  He serves on the Prince William/ Manassas Regional Jail Board, which establishes policy for the operation of the Regional Adult Detention Center, providing care and confinement for all Prince William County and the City of Manassas prisoners. 

Rev. Bailey is a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., and Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

Eastern Theological Seminary was founded in 1991 in Lynchburg, Virginia, as a non-profit religious institute of post-secondary education. Eastern Theological Seminary includes extension sites in Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.

The NAACP Virginia State Conference congratulates Rev. Bailey on receiving this distinguished honor.