Hillary Clinton is giving a speech at the National Baptist Convention in Kansas City on Thursday.
The Democratic presidential nominee is no stranger to the area.
"She's going to be at home and I can tell you this, there will be a number of people in that audience who Secretary Clinton can call by first name," said U.S. Congressman Emanuel Cleaver. "One of them is John Modest Miles."
You may know him as the long-time reverend of Morning Star Baptist Church at 27th and Wabash in Kansas City. He also happens to be general chairman of the host committee for the convention Clinton will address.
"We were expecting it to happen because they quite often come to our convention," Rev. Miles said.
He has a friendship with the Clinton family and knows them, "Extremely well. We go back to the early 70s."
Miles swore then-governor Bill Clinton into office in Arkansas in 1979, at the former president's request.
"Well at that time, very funny but, I was black headed and afro and he was black headed and hippie headed, that's the way I called it," Miles laughed. "Even before he became governor, he was an exciting person who cared about the community and so with his wife Hillary, who is running now."
Photo of Bill Clinton and Miles
Miles met the couple when Bill Clinton paid a visit to his Arkansas church. He said they have remained close ever since.
"I possibly went to the White House to share with him, directly with him, probably 40 or 50 times during the time that he was president."
He's endorsing Hillary Clinton for president now, citing her time in Arkansas as the reason why. Miles added, "She was involved in so many community initiatives that were able to help schools, that were able to help families. And was able to do things that would really better the lives of people."
No matter what happens, Miles said he will be by her side come November.
"I was there to support her last time and I had to do that because of our closeness and because I know the realness in her life."
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Dia Wall can be reached at dia.wall@kshb.com.
