Dr. Lyman S. Parks, Sr. (1917– ) was the first and only African American mayor of Grand Rapids, serving from 1971–1976. Concurrently, Mayor Parks was also the pastor of First A.M.E. Church from 1966–1986. He is the grandfather of Lauri Parks, Grand Rapids' current City Clerk.
Political history
Mayor Parks was elected Third Ward Commissioner In February of 1968. He replaced Mayor Robert Boelens upon his resignation in June 1971. He was officially elected mayor of Grand Rapids in November of that year. His reelection bid was defeated in 1975 by Abe Drasen, after which he became a clerk-typist at the city's Traffic Bureau and continued to serve his church full time.
