RALEIGH--On November 1st a Raleigh man will take the seat as bishop of the entire U.S. Episcopal Church. Rev. Michael Curry says he has always wanted to be involved in the lives of people in their parish and their community.

He says images following the death of Freddie Gray in police custody are a call to action.

"That's not a Republican or Democratic issue. That's a humane issue. That's an American issue. And if we can begin to build on those places of common ground we might find that we can end some of these nightmares that lead to riots and urban explosion," he says.

While his new office will be in Manhattan, Curry says he fully expects to be on the road helping society.

He was the first African American bishop of the church's North Carolina Diocese and now he will be the first African American to lead the U.S Episcopal Church.