Joel Elvin Atkins (d. October 5 1997) was the Senior Pastor of Zion Hill Missionary Baptist Church for 42 years until his death in 1997.
[4] His longtime friendship with Jack Young led to his involvement in advocating on behalf of James Joseph Richardson.
[6] Joel Elvin Atkins was president of a local chapter of the NAACP in Winter Haven, Florida He became president of the state chapter and challenged Florida governor Claude Kirk's obstruction and delay attempts of school busing.
[3][7] He advocated for social action over confrontations at rallies as the solution to ongoing troubles in 1967.
[8] In 1970, he highlighted concerns that for most instances of death by law enforcement officers the victims were black.