Bernard C Yates, longtime leader of Zion Hope Primitive Baptist Church in Pensacola, Fl. , was also a 2 time national president for the Primitive Baptist Convention, USA  . In addition to his religous work nationwide , Bernard Yates also sat on the board of Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital. 

 He did much to improve peoples education. Pastor Yates was aproblem solver. He id so much for the community, food drives and he did so much to improve peoples education. It was seven days a week-being there for the people in the community . He was a visionary for Pensacola, whose helm at Zion Hope Primitive Baptist Church for 35 years and helped expand membe ship from 300 to a congreation of 1600.