Robert R. Church, Sr.
1839-1912

Robert R. Church, Sr. was a legendary business figure with an extensive entrepreneurial background; including such enterprises as a hotel, a restaurant, a saloon, Solvent Savings Bank and Trust Company and Church's Park and Auditorium, the first recreational facilities for African-American citizens of Memphis. While this is most impressive it is not why Church was inducted into the Hall of Honor; Church was inducted because he did much more than reshape an industry-he reshaped history. A self-made man and reputedly the South's first African-American millionaire, Church paved the way for generations of African American businesspeople. Church’s accomplishments are extraordinary but more impressive is that these achievements were made by an African American in the South over one century ago. The legend of Robert Church is one that is held in such regard that more than a half-century after his death, the Memphis Chamber of Commerce honored Church by naming him one of Memphis' pioneer businessmen and the Mid South Minority Business Council gives the annual Robert R. Church Sr. Award to an outstanding African American Businessperson.