Prior to this month, the only African American Baptist churches in the state of Missouri are located in St. Louis, Hannibal, St. Joseph, Jefferson City and (possibly) Lexington. Now, a new church joins this short list: the First Colored Baptist Church of Warrensburg. Many other black Baptist congregations are also birthed this month, including the…
Today yet another African American congregation in the South is established. In North Carolina the white Baptist Church of Chapel Hill grants the wishes of black members to start their own congregation. Church minutes record that, “On motion it was unanimously voted that the colored patrons of this church be allowed to withdraw from the…
Prior to the war the Madison Baptist Church in Georgia, like many other congregations in the Deep South, had almost as many black members as white members. Most, if not all, black members were slaves, their presence forced by their masters and policed by white church members. In 1859 a new church sanctuary was constructed.…