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I got a call from the mayor's black preacher liaison person and I was surprised to get the call. Marshall Hatch Sr. is the pastor of New Mount Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church

on Chicago's West Side.

He was one of about 25 black preachers called down a city Hall near the end of 2015 for a meeting with

Chicago Mayor Ram Emanuel.

I thought it was very unusual because after kind of a brief talk or so the mayor opened it up. I mean I

never known him to open the floor up and give much of a hoots about what the black pastors thought.

It was normally a monologue, not a dialogue that I was accustomed to.

The meeting was three days before Thanksgiving. The next day, the city would release a police dash cam video.

It showed white Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke shooting black teenager

Laquon McDonald 16 times. They were very concerned about rioting. The message to

the preachers was you know if you all don't help me to keep a lid on all of this

don't come downtown asking me for anything anymore if things go up and smoke.

Hatch says during the smoke.

Hatch says during the meeting, it came out that McDonald had been in foster care,

taken from his mom as a toddler by Illinois Child Welfare Agency.

I mean, that's when I knew we had moved into a real spiritual realm with this piece.

I honestly that and as a pastor you know to me that's divine poetry.

Because he was a throwaway person if they ever was one.

That would have to be the one that God would have to put in the center the name that somebody else thinks is worth throwing away

And it was pretty explosive after that as As ministers kind of said, you know, look, we're not making any guarantees.

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