| Leon Finney Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Leon Dorsey Finney Jr. July 7, 1938 Louise, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Residence | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Education |
Hyde Park Academy High School[1] University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (attended) |
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 1964–present |
| Known for | Metropolitan Apostolic Community Church founder and minister. |
| Spouse(s) |
Sharon M. Finney (m. 1970; div. 1994) Georgette Greenlee (m. 2002; div. 2019) |
| Children | 2 |
Rev. Leon Dorsey Finney Jr.[citation needed] (born July 7, 1938) is an American minister, community organizer and businessman. Finney is the founder and pastor of Metropolitan Apostolic Community Church in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Finney is also known for his association with The Woodland Organization (TWO), a community development initiative in the Woodlawn neighborhood of Chicago.[2]
Biography[]
Early life and education[]
Finney was the eldest of six children born to Leon Sr. (b. 1916; d. 2008), who was the founder of the Leon's Bar-B-Q franchise.[3][4] Born in Mississippi, Finney's family relocated to Chicago when he was a child. During his childhood, Finney spent time between Chicago and Nashville, Tennessee with his grandparents. Finney returned to Chicago permanently at age 12 to attend Catholic school, having attended elementary school in Nashville. For high school, Finney attended Hyde Park Academy High School; where he participated on the track team. After graduating high school in 1957,[1] Finney attended University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign but later dropped out.
Career[]
In the early–1960s, Finney joined the United States Marine Corps where he served as a policeman and criminal investigator. After his stint in the marine corps, Finney returned to Chicago. In 1964, Finney became involved with the The Woodlawn Organization (TWO), becoming an organizer. In 1967, Finney became the Executive Director of the organization.[5] and president of the Woodlawn Community Development Corporation in 1969.[6] During the 1960s, his early years with the Woodlawn Community Development Corporation Finney helped cite property owners who were deemed slumlords in the Woodlawn area. Due to his community efforts, Finney was appointed as a member of the Chicago Plan Commission by then-Mayor Jane Byrne in May 1979. Finney, through the Woodlawn Community Development Corporation managed public housing and subsidized units in the area. In 2003, Finney purchased the former Metropolitan Community Church building at 4100 South King Drive; renaming it Metropolitan Apostolic Community Church.[7]
Legal Issues[]
In September 2019, Finney was accused of fraud and mismanagement after his business, the Woodlawn Community Development Corporation filed for bankruptcy the previous October.[8]
Personal[]
Finney has been married twice and has two children. His first marriage was to Sharon M. Finney in June 1970 and together they had two children, Kristian (b. 1970)[citation needed] and Leon III (b. 1972; d. 1998).[9] They later divorced in February 1994. In June 2002, Finney married Georgette Greenlee. Greenlee later filed for divorce in 2019.[10]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1957 Hyde Park High School (Aitpche) Yearbook
- ↑ NBC Chicago, Bio: Dr. Leon Finney, 2010.Retrieved November 19, 2019.
- ↑ Chicago Tribune, Leon Finney Sr., 1916-2008 (April 6, 2008).Retrieved November 19, 2019.
- ↑ Our Chicago (By Ron Schramm, Marilyn D. Clancy).Retrieved November 19, 2019.
- ↑ Laws of the State of Illinois: Passed by the ... General Assembly at Their ... Session, 1992.Retrieved November 19, 2019.
- ↑ Emergency Jobs and Unemployment Assistance Amendments of 1975: Hearings ... (By United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Labor and Public Welfare. Subcommittee on Employment, Poverty, and Migratory Labor).Retrieved November 19, 2019.
- ↑ Historic Preservation, Metropolitan Apostolic Community Church
- ↑ Chicago Sun-times, REV. LEON FINNEY JR.’S FREE FALL; For decades, the South Side powerhouse’s nonprofits got millions in public housing money. Now, he’s facing allegations of fraud and self-dealing, Sept 9, 2019.Retrieved November 19, 2019.
- ↑ Chicago Tribune, LEON FINNEY III, August 14, 1998. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
- ↑ The HistoryMakers (Rev. Dr. Leon D. Finney).Retrieved November 19, 2019.
The original article can be found at Leon Finney, Jr. and the edit history here.