OUR FOUNDERS
Founders' Biographies
Bishop Frank Pinkard, Jr. is pastor of the Evergreen Missionary Baptist Church, one oldest and most noted black congregations in Oakland, California. He earned his Divinity degree from Bishop College, in Dallas Texas, a Master of Divinity from the San Francisco Theological Seminary in San Anselmo, California and a Doctrine of Divinity from the Urban Black Study Center in Berkeley, California. He is a profound teacher, preacher, orator who has established himself as one of the great proclaimer of the Gospel in the San Franciso Bay Area. His leadership skills have established him not only in religious circles, both nationally and internationally, but in the political area as well.
On June 24, 2007, Pastor Pinkard was elevated to the biblical status of "Bishop". His ordination was blessed and sponsored by the Pastors of Oakland Association and several Bay Area Bishops.
Bishop Pinkard has pastored Evergreen Missionary Baptist Church since 1985 suceeding the late pastor and organizer Dr. J. L. Richards.
Honoree
Dr. Maya Angelou born Marguerite Annie Johnson; April 4, 1928 – May 28, 2014) was an African-American author, poet, dancer, actress and singer. She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, and several books of poetry, and was credited with a list of plays, movies, and television shows spanning more than 50 years. She received dozens of awards and over fifty honorary degrees. Angelou is best known for her series of seven autobiographies, which focus on her childhood and early adult experiences. The first, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969), tells of her life up to the age of seventeen and brought her international recognition and acclaim. Read more....
Nellie M. Neal was born in the small town of Paraloma, Arkansas on October 19, 1928, to the proud parents of Andrew and Texas “Texie” Neal. In 1940, after the death of her father, her mother moved the family to Graves Chapel, Arkansas. Graves Chapel was named after Henry Graves, Nellie’s maternal grandfather. Nellie and her family lived in Graves Chapel for many years before her mother decided to move the family to Texarkana, Texas.
After graduating from Booker T. Washington High School, Nellie went to the Bearon Light Beauty College where she received a license in Cosmetology. She worked for several years at Helen’s Beauty Salon in Texarkana.
In 1951, Nellie left Texas and moved to the West Coast, settling in Los Angeles where she met and fell in love with Booker T. Floyd, an aviator and owner of Floyd’s Flying School in Compton, California. Nellie and Booker had two daughters, Ceda and Stephanie.
In 1955, Nellie and her daughters moved to Oakland, California where she worked in retail until 1963, when she accepted a position at Kaiser Permanente. Nellie worked at Kaiser Permanente for thirty-three years until she retired in 1996. After retiring, she asked herself, “What am I going to do now?” Read more....
