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Reverend Dr. Nicholas Hood Sr, is Minister Emeritus
of Plymouth United Church of Christ, Detroit,
Michigan. After graduating form Yale University
Divinity School in 1949, he began his ministry in
New Orleans, Louisiana as Senior Minister of Central
Congregational Church. During the nine years that he
pastored in New Orleans, he was a founding member of
the Southern Christian Leadership Council, with Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. as leader.
For
27 years (1958‑1985), as Senior Minister of Plymouth
United Church of Christ, Rev. Hood ministered to his
congregation's needs as well as to the concerns of
the larger community. Elected to the Detroit City
Council in 1965, he worked ceaselessly to improve
the conditions of people who were displaced by urban
renewal: the economically disadvantaged, those who
were discriminated against and,
developmentally‑disabled adults.
At
Plymouth Church, Rev. Hood created a housing
ministry; thereby, making housing opportunities for
low and moderate‑income families. He spear‑headed
the building and development of the 230 unit Medical
Center Courts apartments in 1963. This was one of
the first church‑sponsored low‑to‑moderate housing
developments in America constructed by a church. In
1975 he lead in the construction of Medical Center
Village Apartments, consisting of 450 apartments,
town houses and high‑rise building for a senior
citizens . Through the Housing Ministry of Plymouth
United Church of Christ, 40 acres of formerly slum
property, in the heart of Detroit, was transformed
into a model community of low‑income, moderate
income and middle income families. This property has
increased in value during its 30 years of existence.
Dr.
Hood also led the way to delivering services to the
needs of developmentally‑disabled and mentally
retarded adults by founding Cyprian Center in honor
his daughter, Sarah Cyprian Hood. Through this
agency, which has an annual budget in excess of
three million dollars, the following buildings were
built and developed to accommodate varying programs
and disabilities: a day school for the
developmentally disabled (Cyprian; Partial‑Day
Program, 1974); a residence for developmentally
disabled (Cyprian House, 1984); an assisted‑living
residence for emotionally‑impaired adults (Cyprian
Manor, 1985); a brief‑stay home for
developmentally‑disabled adults whose
parents/guardians need a respite from their labors
as care‑givers, Cyprian Respite, 1986); an apartment
building where developmentally‑disabled adults live
independently(Smith Apartments, 1990); and two
residences where mentally‑impaired women live
independently with supervision( Rosemont House, 1992
and Cadillac House, 1994).
Rev.
Hood retired from the Detroit City Council in 1993,
after serving for 28 years. He has served on many
governing and advisory boards, committees, and
agencies: inclusive of the following: The Advisory
Board of the Federal National Mortgage Association,
Washington, D.C.; President, Ministers Life and
Casualty Board of Directors, Minneapolis, Minn.;
Hutzel Hospital Board of Trustees; Detroit Economic
Development Corporation, The Hannan Foundation; The
Board of Directors for the Cyprian Center, and the
Cyprian Foundation.
He
holds the following academic degrees: B.S. from
Purdue University; B.A. from North Central College,
and a Masters of Divinity from Yale University.
Honorary doctorates have been bestowed by Purdue
University, North Central College, Olivet College,
and the University of Chicago School of Religion.
Dr.
Hood has inspired several young men and women to
enter the Christian Ministry, including his own son,
Rev. Nicholas Hood, 111, Senior Minister, Plymouth
United Church of Christ, Detroit. Rev. Dr. Dwight
Andrews, Senior Minister, First Congregational
Church, Atlanta, Ga., Rev. Dr. Andrew J. Young,
former Ambassador, United Nations, and former Mayor
of Atlanta, Ga.
For additional
information, please visit
www.nicholashood.org
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