Parks, Lyman S., 1917-

Pastor of the Grand Rapids A.M.E. First Community Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan, city commissioner, acting mayor, and later mayor, 1971-1975.

Pastor of the Grand Rapids A. M. E. First Community Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan, city commissioner, acting mayor, and later mayor, 1971-1975.

Lyman Parks was born in Princeton, Indiana on March 12, 1917. From 1936 through 1944, Parks attended first, Indiana State Teachers College, and then, Wilberforce University where he received his bachelor of arts degree (1944). Parks also attended Payne Theological Seminary.

After leaving Payne, Rev. Parks became pastor of the A.M.E. Church in Marion, Indiana. He followed this with pastorates in Richmond, Indian in 1947, Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1952, and River Rouge, Michigan in 1964. In 1966, Rev. Parks moved to Grand Rapids to become past of the A.M.E. First Community Church.

While in Grand Rapids, Lyman Parks first sought political office. In 1968, he ran for and was elected Third Ward Commissioner. Then in 1971, following the resignation of Robert Boelens as mayor, the Grand Rapids city commission appointed Parks to be acting mayor.

In 1973, after nearly two years of service in this position, Parks decided to campaign for the office of mayor on a permanent basis. In the election, he narrowly defeated his opponent Robert Boelens. In 1975, he lost his chance for re-election by losing in the city's primary.