Dr. John M. Perkins, a pioneering civil rights advocate, author and Christian ministry leader whose work in Simpson County helped shape a national movement for reconciliation, died at the age of 96.
Dr. Perkins, a native of rural Mississippi, spent more than six decades preaching the Gospel while championing justice, racial unity and community transformation.
His life’s work was rooted in Mendenhall, where his ministry efforts laid the foundation for what would become a model for Christian community development across the country.
Family members, in announcing his passing, described him as a “faithful servant and prophetic witness” who dedicated his life to sharing the reconciling power of Jesus Christ through both word and action.
Dr. Perkins first gained national attention during the Civil Rights Movement when he returned to Mississippi to work for educational and economic opportunities for Black residents. His activism led to violent opposition, including a 1970 arrest and beating by law enforcement in Brandon. Despite the brutality he endured, Perkins became widely known for his message of forgiveness and reconciliation.
Throughout his ministry, he often emphasized unity with the phrase, “We are one blood under God.”
In Simpson County, Perkins helped establish ministries focused on spiritual development, education and economic empowerment—efforts commonly referred to as the Mendenhall Ministries. Those initiatives later contributed to the formation of the Christian Community Development movement, which he co-founded to encourage churches to address both spiritual and social needs within their communities.
Dr. Perkins also authored more than 17 books and spoke around the world, urging churches to embrace what he called the “whole Gospel”—a message that confronts injustice while restoring dignity and building strong, faith-centered communities.
In 1983, he and his wife, Vera Mae Perkins, founded the John & Vera Mae Perkins Foundation in Jackson. The foundation continues his work through leadership training, youth outreach and a growing network of Legacy Schools aimed at equipping future leaders in faith and reconciliation.
Local leaders and residents have long credited Perkins’ work in Mendenhall with transforming lives and strengthening the community, particularly through his emphasis on faith-driven service and racial healing.
Funeral arrangements include a homegoing service at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 21, at New Horizon Church International, with a wake scheduled for 5 p.m. Friday at the same location. Interment will follow at 11 a.m. Sunday, March 22, at Oak Ridge M.B. Church Cemetery.
The Perkins family has asked that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the John and Vera Mae Perkins Foundation to continue his lifelong mission of developing leaders committed to justice, reconciliation and Christian service.
Though he has passed, Perkins’ legacy continues through the ministries he helped build, the movement he inspired and the generations of leaders shaped by his enduring message of faith, justice and unity.
