▁( J une ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 1 8 3 9 ▁– ▁August ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 1 9 1 2 ) ▁was ▁an ▁African - American ▁entrepr ene ur , ▁business man ▁and ▁land owner ▁in ▁M emph is , ▁Tennessee , ▁who ▁began ▁his ▁rise ▁during ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War . ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁African - American ▁" mill ion aire " ▁in ▁the ▁South . ▁ ▁Church ▁built ▁a ▁reputation ▁for ▁great ▁wealth ▁and ▁influence ▁in ▁the ▁business ▁community . ▁He ▁founded ▁Sol vent ▁Sav ings ▁Bank , ▁the ▁first ▁black - owned ▁bank ▁in ▁the ▁city , ▁which ▁extended ▁credit ▁to ▁black s ▁so ▁they ▁could ▁buy ▁homes ▁and ▁develop ▁business es . ▁As ▁a ▁phil anth rop ist , ▁Church ▁used ▁his ▁wealth ▁to ▁develop ▁a ▁park , ▁play ground , ▁aud itor ium ▁and ▁other ▁facilities ▁for ▁the ▁black ▁community , ▁who ▁were ▁ex cluded ▁by ▁state - en act ed ▁ra cial ▁seg reg ation ▁from ▁most ▁such ▁amen ities ▁in ▁the ▁city . ▁ ▁The ▁son ▁of ▁a ▁black ▁mother ▁and ▁white ▁father , ▁Church ▁began ▁working ▁as ▁a ▁ste ward ▁when ▁his ▁father , ▁a ▁steam bo at ▁owner , ▁took ▁him ▁along ▁on ▁his ▁route ▁between ▁M emph is ▁and ▁New ▁Orleans . ▁ ▁Robert ▁Church ▁bought ▁his ▁first ▁property ▁in ▁M emph is ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 2 . ▁He ▁was ▁well ▁established ▁by ▁ 1 8 7 8 - 7 9 , ▁the ▁years ▁of ▁dev ast