Robert Reed Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robert Reed Church
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| Born | June 18, 1839 |
| Died | August 29, 1912 (aged 73) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Margaret Pico (m. 1857; was considered not legal) Louisa Ayres (divorced) Anna Wright (died) unknown woman |
| Children | 4 (including Mary Church Terrell and Robert Church Jr.) |
Robert Reed Church Sr. (June 18, 1839 – August 29, 1912) was a very successful African-American businessman and landowner in Memphis, Tennessee. He started building his wealth during the American Civil War. He became the first African-American "millionaire" in the Southern United States.
Church was known for his great wealth and influence in the business world. He started Solvent Savings Bank, which was the first bank in Memphis owned by black people. This bank helped black families get loans to buy homes and start businesses. Robert Church also used his money to help his community. He built a park, a playground, and an auditorium for black residents. At that time, state laws kept black people from using many public places.
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Early Life and First Businesses
Robert Reed Church was born into slavery in 1839 in Holly Springs, Mississippi. His mother, Emmeline, was a black American woman. His father, Captain Charles B. Church, was a white steamship owner. Captain Church operated boats along the Mississippi River.
When Robert was 12, his mother passed away. His father then started taking Robert with him on his river trips. Robert worked as a steward in the steamship's dining area. This job helped him learn about business and meet important people.
In 1862, Union soldiers took control of Memphis. The riverboat where Church worked was seized. Church managed to escape. He then started working in Memphis doing various jobs. He was a stableboy, a salesman's helper, and shined shoes. He saved enough money to open his own saloon.
Soon, he owned several businesses on Beale Street in Memphis. The number of black residents in Memphis grew quickly during this time. Many formerly enslaved people moved to the city. This meant Church had many customers for his businesses. He became an important person in the growing black community.
In 1866, there were riots in Memphis. White groups attacked black neighborhoods. Church was shot and hurt in his saloon during these events.
Building a Business Empire
By 1878, Robert Church had become quite wealthy. He knew about the dangers of yellow fever epidemics. So, he moved his family out of the city during the serious epidemic in 1878 and the next year.
The 1878 epidemic caused many people to leave Memphis. More than 5,000 people died. This made land prices in the city drop sharply. Church saw a great chance to buy property in Memphis. He had the money to buy many buildings and undeveloped land. He believed the land would become valuable again as the city recovered.
He bought commercial buildings and homes. He also bought land that was not yet built on. It is thought that in later years, he earned about $6,000 each month from rent. This shows how much property he owned.
Helping His Community
With his large fortune, Church paid for new and better facilities for black people in Memphis. At that time, state laws called "racial segregation" kept black people from using many places. These places were only for white people.
Church built a public park, a playground, a concert hall, and an auditorium. He used these places to help the community. He helped pay for graduation ceremonies and political events. He also hosted shows in the parks for African Americans in the city. Every Thanksgiving, he paid for a free meal for poor black families.
In 1906, Church and some partners started the Solvent Savings Bank. This was the first bank in Memphis owned by black people. Church was the first president of the bank. He made sure that black people could get loans. These loans helped them start businesses and buy homes. This helped many black families improve their lives.
Family Life
Robert Church did not write much about his personal life. He also never gave a public speech. But he was very popular and important in Memphis.
Church was married three times. His first marriage in 1857 to Margaret Pico was not fully recognized by law at the time. This was because both he and his wife were enslaved.
His second wife was Louisa Ayres. She was of mixed race and also born into slavery. They both believed in the importance of education for their children. They had a daughter, Mary Eliza Church (1863-1954), and a son, Thomas Ayres Church (1867-1937).
Their daughter, Mary Church Terrell, became very famous. She was one of the first black American women to earn a college degree. She worked as a teacher and then a principal. She also became a strong civil rights activist. In 1909, she helped start the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). In 1896, she was the first black woman to be part of a major city's school board in Washington, D.C. Robert and Louisa later divorced.
Church then married Anna Susan Wright. They had a son, Robert Reed Church Jr. (1885-1952), and a daughter, Annette Elaine Church (1887-1975). Robert Jr. followed in his father's footsteps and became a businessman. He took over his father's companies.
Robert Jr. also became important in politics. In 1916, he started the Lincoln League. This group worked to help black people register to vote. They also raised money to help pay poll taxes, which were fees that kept many black people from voting. The Lincoln League also spoke up for African Americans in the Republican Party. Robert Jr. helped sign up 10,000 new black voters in Memphis very quickly. He also advised Republican presidents in the 1920s.
Robert Reed Church Sr. usually stayed out of politics. This helped him keep good relationships with both white and black people in Memphis. He was chosen as a delegate for William McKinley at the 1900 Republican Convention.
His Legacy
Robert Church died on August 29, 1912, after a short illness. He is buried in Elmwood Cemetery in Memphis.
In 1953, the house Robert Church built for his family was burned down. This happened during a fire equipment demonstration in Memphis. It was seen as an act of revenge by the city's mayor, Edward Hull "Boss" Crump. This was because the Church family continued to work for black voting rights. The Tri-State Defender newspaper called the burning of the Church house "An act of infamy." A few years later, the area where the house stood was paved over. The city built public housing complexes there, which were only for African Americans.
