State Rep. Natalie Price (D-Berkley) delivers a speech on her bill on Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023, at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing.
LANSING, Mich., Nov. 2, 2023 — The Michigan House of Representatives passed state Rep. Natalie Price’s (D-Berkley) House Bill 5059 to amend the Michigan Memorial Highway Act today. The bill designates a portion of the Southfield Freeway (M-39) as the Bishop P.A. Brooks Memorial Freeway. The designation will 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 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, from complications due to COVID-19, as a result of service to his community.
“Unwavering in his faith in humanity, dedication to service and lifelong commitment to social justice, Bishop P.A. Brooks represents the very best of us,” said State Senator Mary Cavanagh (D-Redford). “Pastor Brooks’ countless 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.”
HB 5059 now heads to the state Senate for consideration.
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