Darius G. Pridgen is an American pastor and politician from Buffalo, New York. He served as a member of the Buffalo Common Council from the Ellicott District from 2012 to 2023 and as president of the council from 2014 to 2024. He is the senior pastor of True Bethel Baptist Church in Buffalo.
Early life and education
Pridgen is a graduate of Bennett High School in Buffalo. He served in the United States Air Force, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice from Buffalo State University, and received a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Medaille College.[1]
Religious career
Pridgen is the senior pastor of True Bethel Baptist Church in Buffalo.[2] In 2014, he served as a guest chaplain in the United States House of Representatives at the invitation of Congressman Brian Higgins.[3]
Political career
Before joining the Common Council, Pridgen served on the Buffalo Board of Education.[1]
Pridgen was first elected to the Buffalo Common Council in 2011 and took office in 2012 as the representative for the Ellicott District.[4] He was elected council president in 2014 and remained in that role for nearly a decade.[4][5] During his tenure, he was identified with neighborhood development and housing issues, including support for stronger enforcement of Buffalo’s fair-housing law and advocacy related to the Fruit Belt Community Land Trust.[6][7] He also supported efforts to address lead poisoning and housing-related public-health issues in Buffalo.[8]
In January 2023, Pridgen announced that he would not seek re-election to the Common Council.[2] He left office at the end of 2023, and Christopher Scanlon was elected to succeed him as council president on January 2, 2024.[5]
Controversy
In July 2023, Pridgen and True Bethel Baptist Church were named in a civil lawsuit filed under New York’s Adult Survivors Act, in which a woman accused him of sexual abuse. Pridgen denied the allegations.[9][10] Spectrum News later reported that court filings were seeking dismissal of the complaint.[9] In January 2026, it was reported that the lawsuit had been dismissed.[11]
References
- ^ a b “Honorable Rev. Darius G. Pridgen”. Bennett Alumni Association. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- ^ a b “Common Council President Pridgen not seeking reelection”. Spectrum News 1. 2023-01-25. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- ^ “Reverend Darius Pridgen”. Office of the Chaplain, U.S. House of Representatives. 2014-04-09. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- ^ a b Zunner, Ryan (2020-01-02). “Darius Pridgen re-elected as Common Council president”. Buffalo Toronto Public Media. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- ^ a b Ashley, Grant (2024-01-02). “Christopher Scanlon elected as next Buffalo Common Council president”. Buffalo Toronto Public Media. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- ^ Keith, Charlotte (2018-08-01). “Council considers action on fair housing law”. Investigative Post. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- ^ “Lawsuit alleges housing discrimination against families”. Investigative Post. 2024-11-20. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- ^ “Unlike mayor, Council poised to act on lead”. Investigative Post. 2016-02-09. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- ^ a b Whalen, Ryan (2023-07-19). “Buffalo Common Council president faces sexual abuse lawsuit”. Spectrum News 1. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- ^ “True Bethel Baptist Church Bishop Darius Pridgen accused of being a ‘sexual predator’ in lawsuit”. WKBW. 2023-07-19. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- ^ “Lawsuit alleging sexual abuse by Bishop Pridgen dismissed”. WGRZ. 2026-01-28. Retrieved 2026-04-19.