Massey grew up in Gastonia, N.C., and earned a bachelor's degree from Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, N.C. in 1936. Massey taught American history, sociology and economics at Booker T. Washington High School in Columbia, S.C. until 1941. During this time he earned his master's degree and doctorate in divinity at Colgate Rochester Divinity School in Rochester, N.Y.

In 1943, Massey became pastor of Pilgrim Baptist Church in St. Paul, Minn. During his tenure at the Pilgrim Massey increased church membership from 125 to more than 1,000. From there Massey became pastor of Macedonia Baptist Church in Watts from 1965 to 1987. While there, he co-authored Church Administration in the Black Perspective with Samuel B. McKinney.