First Baptist Church (Montgomery, Alabama) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids First Baptist Church |
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Front of the First Baptist Church
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| Location | North Ripley Street, Montgomery, Alabama |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Baptist |
| Website | http://www.firstbaptistchurchmontgomery.com |
| History | |
| Founded | 1866 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | W.T. Bailey |
| Style | Romanesque Revival |
| Completed | 1910–1915 (present building) |
The First Baptist Church (also known as the Brick-A-Day Church) on North Ripley Street in Montgomery, Alabama, is a very important historic building. It was started in downtown Montgomery in 1867. This church was one of the first black churches in the area. It offered a place where African-Americans could worship without facing unfair treatment. This was different from other churches in the city at that time.
In its early years, the First Baptist Church became one of the largest black churches in the Southern United States. Its members grew from hundreds to thousands. Later, in the 1950s and 1960s, it became a key meeting spot for the Civil Rights Movement. It is linked to important people and events. These include Ralph Abernathy, the Montgomery bus boycott (1955-56), and the Freedom Rides in May 1961. The church was added to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage on May 5, 2000.
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Church History
The church community first came together in 1866. Before this, many of its early members, who were enslaved, attended another First Baptist Church in Montgomery. At that church, black people were only allowed to sit in the balcony. They could not be on the main floor unless they were working.
In 1867, about 700 African-American members left that church. They marched to an empty lot at Ripley Street and Columbus Street. There, they declared themselves the "First Baptist Church (Colored)." This became the first "free Negro" institution in the city. Their first wooden church building faced Columbus Street. It was called the Columbus Street Baptist Church.
The first pastor was Nathan Ashby. He also became the first president of the Colored Baptist Convention in Alabama. This group was founded at his church on December 17, 1868. Pastor Ashby retired in 1870 due to illness. J.W. Stevens briefly took over. Then, in 1871, James H. Foster became pastor for twenty years. He helped the church grow from a few hundred members to several thousand. His successor, Pastor Andrew Stokes, helped it grow even more.
A fire destroyed the first wooden church building. Between 1910 and 1915, the church was rebuilt. This new building now faced Ripley Street. Pastor Stokes led this rebuilding effort. Church members were asked to bring one brick each day to help build it. This is why the church got its nickname, the "Brick-A-Day Church." The building was designed by W.T. Bailey from Tuskegee University. He designed it in the Romanesque Revival style.
Role in the Civil Rights Movement
From 1952 to 1961, the church was led by Ralph Abernathy. He was a key civil rights leader and a close friend of Martin Luther King Jr.. Dr. King preached nearby at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church.
During the Montgomery bus boycott (1955–1956), First Baptist Church was a central place for large meetings. Pastor Abernathy was a trusted friend of Edgar Nixon. He quickly became deeply involved in the boycott. After the boycott ended, buses in Montgomery were no longer segregated. However, some buses were still attacked. On January 10, 1957, there was a shooting. This was followed by bombings at several churches in Montgomery. First Baptist Church and Pastor Abernathy's home were among those bombed.
In the spring of 1958, the church basement was where John Lewis formally joined the civil rights movement. Lewis was active in Nashville, Tennessee. He planned to try and desegregate Troy State University. He was invited to Montgomery. In the pastor's office in the church basement, he met with Pastor Abernathy and Dr. King.
The First Baptist Church Siege
On May 21, 1961, the church became a safe place for the Freedom Ride passengers. These riders had faced violence at the Greyhound Bus Station. The church was filled with about 1500 people. These included worshipers and activists like Martin Luther King Jr., Fred Shuttlesworth, Diane Nash, and James Farmer. Outside, about 3000 white people surrounded the building. They threatened to burn it down.
In the church basement, Dr. King was with Abernathy, Wyatt Tee Walker, James Farmer, and John Lewis. Dr. King was on the phone with United States Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. Meanwhile, bricks were thrown through the windows. Tear gas also started to drift inside. According to John Lewis, Kennedy jokingly asked King to say a prayer. The activists in the basement were not amused by the joke. The events of May 20–21, 1961, including the "siege of First Baptist," were very important. They helped lead to the desegregation of travel between states.
Robert Kennedy and John F. Kennedy both asked John Malcolm Patterson, who was the governor of Alabama, for help. They wanted him to protect the people inside First Baptist Church. Finally, around 10 PM, Governor Patterson put the city under "qualified-martial rule." A large group of city police and over a hundred members of the Alabama National Guard arrived. They formed a protective shield around the church. Former marshals at the scene were placed under the National Guard's command. Soon after, the crowd outside was finally broken up. However, the people inside the church were still held in a kind of siege by the National Guardsmen.
Around 4 AM, assistant attorney general William Orrick made a deal. He worked with Henry Graham, the Adjutant General of the National Guard. They agreed to release everyone in the church. National Guard trucks and Jeeps were sent to take the Freedom Riders and church members away from the church.
Historical marker
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Historical marker, front view
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Historical marker, back view
