Jesse Freeman Boulden facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jesse Freeman Boulden
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Boulden in 1887
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| Born | October 8, 1820 |
| Died | March 6, 1899 |
| Occupation | Minister, politician |
| Political party | Republican |
| Religion | Baptist |
Jesse Freeman Boulden (1820–1899) was an important Baptist pastor and politician. He lived in Chicago and Mississippi. He started many churches, like Olivet Baptist Church in Chicago. He also served in the Mississippi House of Representatives during a time called the Reconstruction Era. He even helped with the political campaigns of famous leaders like Hiram Rhodes Revels and Blanche Kelso Bruce.
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Jesse's Early Life
Jesse Freeman Boulden was born free in Delaware on October 8, 1820. His parents were Andrew and Theresa Boulden. At that time, a law in Delaware allowed enslaved people to become free at age 28. Their children could become free at age 21.
Because of this law, only one of Jesse's brothers was born into slavery. When his brother was almost 21, he escaped to Pennsylvania. White children of his enslaver helped him. This was to stop him from being sold further south. Jesse's father, Andrew, was accused of helping his son. So, Andrew and the rest of his family also left Delaware to avoid trouble.
In Philadelphia, Jesse went to schools run by Quakers. Later, he returned to Delaware to learn a trade and continue his education. In February 1834, he became a Baptist. In 1853, he became the pastor of Union Baptist Church in Philadelphia. He worked there until 1860.
During the American Civil War (1861–1865)
In 1860, Boulden moved to Chicago. There, David G. Lett was the pastor of a main Baptist church called Zoar Church. In March 1860, about 40 people left Zoar Church. They started a new church called Zion Baptist Church, led by Boulden.
The old church was led by Reverend Tansbury. He later moved back to Canada. On December 22, 1861, Boulden helped the two churches combine. They formed a new church called Olivet Baptist Church. Boulden was the pastor there until 1863.
After that, Richard DeBaptiste became the new pastor of Olivet Baptist Church. Boulden returned to Philadelphia. But when he heard his friend, J. R. Anderson, a pastor in St. Louis, had died, Boulden moved to St. Louis, Missouri. He took over Anderson's church.
In February 1864, Boulden attended a meeting in Brooklyn, Illinois. He spoke about the need for more Baptist missionary work. This work would help enslaved people who had been freed by the Union Army during the American Civil War (1861–1865).
In 1865, Boulden left St. Louis and moved to Natchez, Mississippi. There, he started a church first called Wall Street Baptist Church. It was later known as Pine Street Baptist Church. He also worked for civil rights. In 1865, he sent the first request to Congress asking for African Americans to have the right to vote. Henry P. Jacobs later took over Boulden's work in Natchez.
Political Work
In 1866, Jesse Boulden moved to Columbus, Mississippi. He became a leader in the new Republican Party in northeastern Mississippi. He was part of the first Republican State Convention in Vicksburg in July 1867.
In 1869, he was elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives. He was highly respected in the state's Republican Party. He worked to help Blanche Kelso Bruce become the sergeant-at-arms for the State Senate. Boulden also tried to win a seat in the state senate but lost to Hiram Rhodes Revels. He even sought a seat in the United States Senate.
In 1872, Boulden organized a meeting for the northern Mississippi General Missionary Baptist Association. This group became a rival to Henry Jacobs' Missionary Baptist Association. Boulden disagreed with Jacobs' group because it included some churches Boulden thought were "disorderly." The two groups eventually joined together in 1890.
Other Important Activities
From 1877 to 1881, Jesse Boulden was the pastor of the Nineteenth Street Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. This church was first called the First Colored Baptist Church.
In Mississippi, he was a trustee for the State Normal School and Alcorn University. In 1883, he edited a journal called the Baptist Reflector. He wrote articles and sometimes published poetry in it. In the late 1880s, he worked as a general agent for the American Baptist Home Mission Society in New York, assigned to Mississippi.
Legacy
Jesse Freeman Boulden is buried at the Sandfield Cemetery in Columbus, Mississippi. His life and work have been celebrated there during Emancipation Day performances on May 8th.
