LANSING, Mich., Sept. 29, 2023 — State Rep. Natalie Price (D-Berkley) introduced House Bill 5059 to amend the Michigan Memorial Highway Act to designate a portion of the Southfield Freeway (M-39) as the Bishop P.A. Brooks Memorial Freeway. The designation would begin at M-10 in Southfield and continue 16 miles south to Lafayette Boulevard in Lincoln Park.
“Bishop Brooks was a pillar of Detroit’s West Side, who has left us with an enduring legacy worthy of honor and recognition. I hope this renaming will evoke the gratitude and cherished memories of a community still grieving his loss and inspire a new generation to public service,” Price said.
Bishop P.A. Brooks pastored at the New St. Paul Tabernacle Church of God in Christ off the Southfield Freeway in Detroit for over 60 years and served as the First Assistant Presiding Bishop of the Bishop of the Church of God in Christ Inc. Bishop Brooks’ passion for service in Detroit and beyond were evident in his 2016 partnership with the U.S. Fund for UNICEF to support vulnerable children around the world and in fundraising efforts to help victims and their families after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Hurricane Katrina and the Flint Water Crisis. He died on April 9, 2021.
“A man with an unwavering faith in humanity, a boundless dedication to service and a lifelong commitment to social justice, Bishop P.A. Brooks represents the very best of us,” said state Sen. Mary Cavanagh (D-Redford). “Pastor Brooks’ inestimable contributions to the Detroit community serve as a reminder to us all of the profound impact each of us can make in the lives of those around us.”
###