Purdue Room Dedicated to Jim & Anna Davidson

Friends, Family & Colleagues Gather to Celebrate

Recently the Purdue University Department of Sociology hosted the grand opening of the conference room named in honor of Professor Emeritus Jim Davidson, PhD and his wife, Anna.

In addition to their family, friends and colleagues, many LUM friends attended including Joe Micon, LUM executive director. It was a grand celebration of two wonderful community leaders and educators. {Pictured L to R are professor of Sociology & department head, Linda Renzulli, PhD; Jim Davidson; and Ellen Elly, wife of the first LUM executive director, the Rev. Ron Elly.}

Professor Emeritus Jim Davidson, PhD has been active with LUM since the early 1970s. In 1976, Dr. Davidson published The Lafayette Urban Ministry: A Model for Urban Ministries and an Evaluation of LUM. His research, which was summarized in this report, used LUM as a model for urban ministries that engage local churches in social concerns and action, particularly of low income families. It included the model for urban ministries that was developed and proposed by the LUM Board of Directors in 1976. The Green Book, as it came to be known, has become legendary within Lafayette Urban Ministry and is still relevant and worth reading today.