First African Baptist Church (Richmond, Virginia) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids First African Baptist Church
The old church building, now a property of Medical College of Virginia
Location	Richmond, Virginia
Country	USA
Denomination	Baptist
Website	firstafricanbaptist.org
History
Founded	1841

The First African Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia, is a historic Baptist church. It was started in 1841. Its first members included both enslaved people and free African Americans. This church has played a very important role in the local Black community. At one time, it was one of the largest Protestant churches in the United States.

History of the Church

The First African Baptist Church was founded in 1841. It was created by Black members from Richmond's First Baptist Church. Some members from the Second and Third Baptist Churches also joined. Before 1841, the First Baptist Church had both white and Black members.

Why the Church Split

By 1841, white members were a small group in the First Baptist Church. This made some of them uncomfortable. Many Black members also wanted their own church. The building was often too crowded, and they were sometimes not allowed inside. So, the white members built a new church for themselves. They then sold their old building to the Black members. This church was renamed the First African Baptist Church. Many of its first members were enslaved people from the Tidewater region of Virginia. They had been hired to work in Richmond. Many free Black people also traveled from other cities to attend services.

Growth Under James Holmes

In 1866, James H. Holmes became the assistant pastor. He was a former enslaved person and a very talented preacher. In 1867, he became the main pastor. Under Holmes's leadership, the church grew very quickly. It became one of the largest churches in the country. For example, in 1871, he baptized 600 people. In 1878, he baptized 1,100 people.

New Building and Location

In 1876, the original church building was taken down. The church built a new one that cost $35,000. They also installed a large organ for $2,500. This was the biggest organ in any African American church at the time. Both the first and second church buildings were located at the corner of College Street and East Broad Street. The new building was designed by architect Thomas U. Walter. It looked like a Greek Doric temple. Many white churches in Richmond also used this style.

Moving to a New Home

The First African Baptist Church congregation moved to a new location in 1955. The old church building was then sold to the Medical College of Virginia. Some church members felt this sale was not fair. They believed it ignored the church's important role in African-American history. Today, the old building is used for offices, classrooms, and labs.

How Many People Attended

When the church split from the First Baptist Church, it had about 1,300 Black members. It grew fast. By 1861, more than 3,000 people regularly attended services. The number of members reached 4,500 by 1869. In 1880, a disagreement caused over 700 members to leave. Even after this, about 4,000 members remained.

Events Held at the Church

The First African Baptist Church was one of the largest meeting places in Richmond. Because of its size, it was often rented out for events. These events included concerts and political rallies. Renting out the church was a bit controversial among members. Some worried about using a church for non-religious events. Others were concerned about the racial segregation that often happened at these events. However, the church continued to rent out the space because it brought in a lot of money.

Many important people spoke at the church. John Hartwell Cocke gave a speech about the temperance movement (a movement against alcohol). During the American Civil War, Richmond was the capital of the Confederate States of America. The church was often used for speeches by leaders like Governor William Smith and President Jefferson Davis. Judah Benjamin also spoke there to encourage Black people to join the Confederate Army. After the Civil War, in 1865, Horace Greely spoke at the church. He was a publisher and an abolitionist (someone who wanted to end slavery). He talked about the Reconstruction period after the war.

Church Practices

Even though the First African Baptist Church was for Black members, it was led by a white minister. It also had a board of thirty Black deacons. This was because it was against the law for Black people to preach at that time. Most of the early members were enslaved people. However, most of the early leaders were free Black people. This was because they had more freedom. The first pastor, Robert Ryland, served from 1841 to 1865. Ryland owned enslaved people. He believed that slavery was the best way to convert Africans to Christianity. The church also sent some of its members to Africa as missionaries.

Marriage and Education

Even though Virginia state law did not allow enslaved people to marry, the church held wedding ceremonies for its members. The church also allowed enslaved people to divorce and remarry. This was allowed if their spouse was sold to another state.

Church services were known for their lively singing and preaching. They were a popular attraction for visitors to Richmond. There was a special area near the pulpit reserved for white visitors. Some white residents of Richmond often said that the happy tone of the services proved their enslaved people lived happy lives. This made the enslaved people very upset.

It was against state law to teach Black people to read. However, Pastor Ryland published a catechism (a book of religious teachings) for members. This allowed them to learn to read. This practice caused some debate. But Ryland defended himself. He said his lessons taught people to respect authority. Ryland's practice of educating enslaved people was controversial at first. However, Richmond's white churches eventually supported Ryland's education programs. Ryland later pointed out how conservative his congregation was. This helped calm fears about slave rebellions.

Some members were also allowed to preach from the pews sometimes. Some of these lay preachers were bought from their owners and set free. The church raised money to do this. However, the church did not have its first Black senior minister until 1867. This was James Holmes, who had been a deacon for a long time and was born into slavery.

Notable Members

• Lucy Goode Brooks
• Harriette Estelle Harris Presley