Mount Zion Baptist Church (Tulsa) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Mount Zion Baptist Church
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Mount Zion Baptist Church in 2007
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 Location in Oklahoma
Location in the United States
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| Location | 419 North Elgin Avenue Tulsa, Oklahoma |
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| Architect | W. S. and J. C. Latimer |
| NRHP reference No. | 08000847 |
| Added to NRHP | September 5, 2008 |
Mount Zion Baptist Church is a very important church located in the Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 5, 2008. The first church building was sadly destroyed during the Tulsa race massacre on June 1, 1921. Even after this event, the church and its members showed great strength. The church building was rebuilt in 1952 in the same spot. It stands as a symbol of hope and determination for the community.
Contents
The Church's Early Days
How Mount Zion Baptist Church Started
In 1909, a group of people who loved studying religion came together. They were led by Reverend Sandy Lyons. This group first called themselves the Second Baptist Church. They met in a school building in Tulsa. Soon after, they changed their name to Mount Zion Baptist Church.
The church group bought a piece of land at 419 North Elgin Avenue. They started making plans to collect money. Their goal was to build a permanent church building.
Finding a New Home
Reverend R. A. Whitaker became the pastor in 1914. Around this time, the owner of their rented building told them they had to move. The congregation had only three days to find a new place. They moved into a temporary space. This new spot was a former dance hall on North Greenwood Avenue.
Reverend Whitaker worked hard to raise money for a new church. He collected $42,000. This was a good start, but it was still less than half of the $92,000 needed. A local Jewish contractor offered the church a loan of $50,000. This loan was not secured by any property. This kind offer allowed construction to begin in 1916.
The new church building took five years to finish. The very first service in the new building was held on April 4, 1921. Everyone was excited about their beautiful new church.
A Time of Trouble and Rebuilding
The Tulsa Race Massacre and Church Destruction
The Tulsa Race Massacre began on the night of May 31, 1921. It continued into June 1, 1921. During this terrible event, the new Mount Zion Baptist Church was deliberately set on fire. A group of white men burned it down. They had heard a false rumor that Black people were hiding rifles in the church. There was no proof that this was true.
However, some armed Black people did use the church building. They used it as a place to watch over and protect nearby homes. They fired at rioters who were attacking the neighborhood. The white attackers could not make them leave. Then, some local guardsmen arrived with a truck that had a machine gun. They started shooting at the church. The powerful shots began to knock bricks out of the building. Soon, the church was completely on fire.
The building was totally destroyed. To make things worse, the church's insurance policy had a special rule. It said they would not pay for damages caused by a riot or rebellion. The church was also still in debt for $50,000 from building the church. Because of this, the church had to declare bankruptcy. This allowed the church to continue as an organization.
Challenges and New Beginnings
Reverend Whitaker resigned from his role because he was not well. Several temporary pastors led the church after him. Then, Reverend Hamilton became the pastor in 1928. The church members soon disagreed about whether to pay back the $50,000 loan. Reverend Hamilton and his supporters believed they did not have to pay it back. They felt it was a good faith loan and not tied to any property. Others believed the loan should be repaid.
Reverend Hamilton and his supporters left to start a new church. They called it New Hope Baptist Church. The members who stayed at Mount Zion began working to repay the loan.
Rising from the Ashes: Rebuilding the Church
Reverend J. H. Dotson became the pastor in 1937. He brought in many new members. Within six months, he raised $3,000 to help pay back the old debt. He continued to lead strong fundraising efforts. Because of his hard work, the entire $50,000 loan was fully paid off on November 23, 1942.
After paying off the old debt, Reverend Dotson started raising money again. This time, it was to build a brand new church on the same site. Reverend Dotson carefully watched over the construction of the new building. It was designed by W. S. and J. C. Latimer. These brothers were trained architects. They were also members of Mount Zion Church.
The new church building was officially opened in November 1952. This was twenty-five years after Reverend Dotson first arrived. At Reverend Dotson's request, the church asked Reverend Calvin G. McCutchen to be the assistant pastor. Reverend McCutchen took over as pastor in 1957. He served the church until he retired in 2007.
