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About Rev. Dr. Bernard Black
A pioneer in education
Rev. Dr. Bernard Black was born in Bullard Texas, on April 23, 1927. He received his elementary and high school education in the public schools of Tyler, Texas. After moving to Arizona, he began his studies in the field of Christian Education and earned a Masters of Religious Education from the International Bible Seminary in Orlando, Florida, a Doctor of Divinity degree from Easonian Baptist Seminary in Birmingham, Alabama, a Doctor of Theology degree from Guadalupe Theological Seminary in San Antonio, Texas, and a Completion of Attendance Certificate from Lacy Kirk Institute, Bishop College in Dallas, Texas.
Rev. Black was called into the Gospel Ministry in 1963 at the Union Institutional Baptist Church in Phoenix, Arizona. In 1965 he was called to Pastor the South Phoenix Missionary Baptist Church in Phoenix; and in May of this year, he will celebrate his Fifty Sixth year as Pastor of the South Phoenix Missionary Baptist Church.
Rev. Black also serves as Moderator of the Zion Rest District Association, and President of the General Missionary Baptist State Convention of Arizona. And for twenty years, he served as Vice President of the National Missionary Baptist Convention of America – from 1998 to 2018.
Rev. Black is a 33rd Degree Mason, and a World War II Veteran, having served in the Navy for five years. After his discharge from the Navy, he began working with my Brothers who owned a construction business here in Phoenix. Working diligently with them he learned the Masonry trade, worked hard, and became a licensed Masonry Contractor, building many quality homes throughout Arizona.
If you know Rev. Black, you know he is a “people person.” He loves people, and he loves his Community. In addition to providing for his family and his church, for twenty-three years he served on the Education Board of the Roosevelt School District, and has been blessed to have a new state-of the-art public school named in his honor, the “Dr. Bernard Black Elementary School”. His life has been one of service. Service to his family, to his church, to his community, and to God. And God has blessed him with long life.