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=Notable Families=
==Banks family==
Melvin was the founder of the "largest Black Christian publishing house in the United States". As per an article in [https://www.christianitytoday.com/2021/02/died-melvin-banks-urban-ministries-black-sunday-school/ Christianity Today] from 2021, he started [https://urbanministries.com/ Urban Ministries, Inc.] (UMI) in his basement in Chicago in 1970, "focusing on Sunday school curriculum and Bible study materials for African American Christians. The ministry grew to serve more than 50,000 black churches."
As per the article, Melvin was given the Gospel at the age of 9 by a Black assembly planter from Detroit who gave him a lesson about Paul's answer to the Philippian jailer. He turned his life over to Christ the following week. When he was 12, the same itinerant encouraged him to share his testimony around his home city of Birmingham. He left for [[Moody Bible Institute]] in 1952, where he was one of only ten Black students at the time. A Bahamian brethren itinerant encouraged him to the South Side assembly where he met his wife Olive, married in 19561955.
They were among the founders of Westlawn. He then studied biblical archaeology at [[Wheaton College]], graduating with his M.A. in 1960, and was invited to work for [https://davidccook.org/curriculum/scripture-press/ Scripture Press], initially as a salesman to Black churches, but soon attempted to influence them to reform their packaging to be friendlier to Black constituents, which was only approved after he elected a white colleague to pitch the idea. He subsequently resigned in 1970 to start Urban Ministries, Inc. with the help of his wife Olive, and Henry Soles as the charter editor.
Previous to founding UMI, he founded the [https://urbanoutreachfoundation.com/ Urban Outreach Foundation] dedicated to "rescuing families and communities by equipping pastors, leaders & churches". He is also one of the founders of [https://www.circleyranch.org/ Circle Y Ranch] in Bangor, [[Michigan|MI]] in the 1950's.
Wheaton awarded Melvin an honorary doctorate in 1992, and Moody named him alumnus of the year in 2008. In 2017, he received the [https://rushtopress.org/edition/special-edition-may-4-2017/ Kenneth N. Taylor Lifetime Achievement Award] from the [https://www.ecpa.org/ Evangelical Christian Publishers Association] for "pioneering work in innovating and contextualizing Christian Education materials for the African American market".
* Dr. Melvin Eugene Banks , Sr. '''+1957-2021''' (b. 1934 Birmingham, [[Alabama|AL]] - d. 2021 Chi., IL), son of Shirley Banks. In 1940, he resided with his sister Margaret with their maternal grandparents, Lemuel "Lem" Ellis (b. 1878/1881 AL - d. 1954) & Clemmie Riddle Ellis (b. 1882 AL - d. 1941 Birmingham, AL). Lem was employed in 1920 in the coger stock house for Sloss-Sheffield Steel & Iron, previously known as [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sloss_Furnaces Sloss Furnaces], founded by a co-founder of Birmingham. In 1926 he worked as a chauffeur, and 1940 as a truck driver.* Olive Gertrude Perkins Banks '''+1957+''' (b. 1936 Sturgis, MI), daughter of Joseph Harrison Perkins (b. 1905 Crab Orchard, KY - d. 1965 Centreville, St. Joseph, MI) & Olive Gertrude Davison Pannell-Perkins (mb. 1904 Sturgis, MI - d. 19561947 Battle Creek, MI). In 1940, Joseph Perkins was employed with George Freeman's manufacturing company in Sturgis, which in 1908 was located in Racine, WI and produced folding chairs used in cars.
==Johnson family==
