Founded: 1964 Location of headquarters:

1964-1970 533 South Minerva, P.O. Box 451, Royal Oak, MI.

1970-? 7826 Melrose Avenue, P. O. Box 451, Detroit, MI 48211 and 1019 Clay Street, Detroit, MI 48211 Superintendent:

1964-? - Haman Cross, Sr.

President of the Board of Trustees"

1964-1969 - Clarence Olson, president of board of trustees, 1965-1969

President:

1970-1972 - Julius Lowry

1972-? - A. Perry

?-? - James Horton

1978-? - Rudy L. Lewis

?-1983 - Art Baldwin

?-1983 - John Sharpe

Chairman

1974-? - James Horton

Director

1964-? - Malattor Cross

1983-? - Haman Cross, Jr.

Origins and Development:

1964 - In September, Mrs. Sarah Lowry donated property to Mr. and Mrs. Haman Cross, Sr., located at 7826 Melrose Avenue, Detroit, Michigan, to be used "to propagate the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ as a Fundamental Evangelical Mission in the salvation of souls." This space served as the Cross's home, the center of early mission activities, and later as the official corporation headquarters beginning in 1970.

1969 - In December, the corporation began renting a storefront for further mission activities at 8228 Oakland Avenue, Detroit, Michigan. This was known as Mission Hall and was the center of activities until a larger building was purchased and renovated in June of the following year. In this year, Detroit's Afro-American Mission becomes a member of the Independent Fundamental Churches of America.

1970 - In June 1970, the Mission purchased the property at 1019-25 Clay Avenue and adjacent land from Ludwig and Mollie Boraks. This property became of the center of activities for the Detroit Afro-American Mission, Inc.

1971 - Haman Cross, Jr., becomes a full-time missionary with the Detroit's Afro-American Mission, working primarily with young people.

1972 - The Mission sends forty-four children to summer camp this year.

1975 - About 250 children are reached in this year's summer program.

1976 - Ministry to the hearing-impaired begins with the Mission family learning sign language. The baptism pool is completed in the Mission building. Over one thousand people are reached in this year's summer program. Opportunities for outreach expand when a building at 7138 West Six Mile is donated to the Mission. This site is known as the McNichols Satellite building and offers more space for prayer meetings, Bible study, summer clubs, etc. Further outreach is conducted at a house and vacant lot in Highland Park.

1978 - Detroit's Afro-American Mission creates a task force with Calvary Baptist Church in Hazel Park, Michigan, designed to create a local body of believers. The task force is known as the Cal/Fro Project or Operation Cal/Fro. Matthew Parker serves as consultant on the project and as Summer Program Director for the Mission.

1979 - The Cal/Fro Project rents V.F.W. Post #140 at 19130 Bauman for use as a vacation bible school and for Sunday school. In this same year, the joint venture known as the Cal/Fro Project is renamed the Great Commission Community Church and is incorporated. Its pastor is Rev. Ernest Henderson. Approximately twenty-five boys are participating in the Christian Service Brigade and fifty girls are in Pioneer Girls. About forty students are enrolled in the Institute of Biblical Research, a three-year program of study at the mission that results in a diploma and can include a separate or additional certificate from Evangelical Teachers Training Association or Emmaus Bible School and a G.E.D. certificate.

1980 - Ron Ballard is appointed to develop a singles ministry for the Mission. He proposes the following strategy for a singles ministry: recruitment, development, and outreach culminating in an annual singles fellowship conference. This ministry is ultimately known as Single-minded Inc. Property is purchased at 15130 E. Warren for an East-side Detroit Ministry Center; the building is eventually known as the Scripturetorium. Proposed budget for the Mission this year is $149,000.

Ministry specialty or emphasis:

According to the Constitution and By-Laws: "The central purpose and duty of the Detroit's Afro-American Mission, Incorporated, is to proclaim the 'unsearchable riches' of the Lord Jesus Christ; to seek the salvation of the lost; to instruct believers in the Word of God; to conduct religious and Sunday School services at the Mission; to clothe, and help the needy; and to foster, promote and encourage general rescue mission work in whatever way the Board of Directors deem it necessary, in the City of Detroit and suburbs." Haman Cross, Sr., is also quoted in one of the videotapes as saying the mission is "reaching Afro-American families for Christ."

Other information:

The geographical emphasis of this collection is metropolitan Detroit, Michigan, with a special emphasis on the neighborhoods in the vicinity of 1019 Clay Street. "Detroit Africa Mission" was the first name of the mission in 1964. In 1965, the board voted to adopt the official name of "Detroit's Little Africa Mission, Inc."