H. H. Brookins

Hamel Hartford Brookins better known as H. H. Brookins (June 8, 1925 – May 22, 2012) was an American bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, community leader, and political powerbroker.

Biography Brookins was born on June 8, 1925, in Yazoo City, Mississippi. He was the eighth of ten children born to Samuel and Lena (Holmes) Brookins. His parents were sharecroppers. He is the grandnephew of Jesse E. Holmes, a prominent clergyman and community leader in Mississippi during the turn of the 20th century.

He briefly attended Campbell College in Jackson, Mississippi. He continued his education in Ohio, where he obtained degrees at two colleges. At Wilberforce University, Brookins earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. At Payne Theological Seminary, he obtained a Bachelor of Divinity degree.

After graduating from Payne, he received early assignments as a minister at various churches in Kansas including a stint in Topeka. This was around the time of the groundbreaking U.S. Supreme Court Case Brown vs. Board of Education which challenged the doctrine of “separate but equal” in Topeka's public schools.

When Brookins announced his plans to build a new church, even members of his own congregation expressed doubts that it could come to fruition. His efforts were aided considerablely by philanthropist John Factor, who was introduced to him by James Roosevelt in appreciation of his help during his unsuccessful campaign for Mayor of Los Angeles in 1965. An early contribution by Factor was instrumental in Brookins securing the land for the new structure. Undaunted, Brookins encouraged Bradley, a member of his congregation, to run for the Los Angeles City Council in 1963, Bradley was elected. Bradley became mayor a few years later. He was also an advisor to former U.S. Representative Diane Watson, providing critical support early in her political career.

In 1972, he was elected bishop where he was assigned to the 17th District which included Malawi, Rhodesia, Tanzania, Zaire, and Zambia. During his tenure in the African continent he helped build hundreds of homes and helped mediate many local disputes. In Rhodesia, Brookins was kicked out of the country for opposing the White minority controlled government.