Mount Zion First Baptist Church facts for kids
Mt. Zion First Baptist Church is a very old and important church in San Antonio, Texas. It is located at 333 Martin Luther King Drive.
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A Special Place in San Antonio History
This church was founded in 1871. It was started by people who used to be slaves. Since then, the church has helped thousands of people with their spiritual needs. It also played a big part in the Civil Rights Movement in San Antonio.
A Leader for Change: Reverend Claude Black Jr.
In 1949, Reverend Claude Black Jr. became the church's pastor. He helped the church become well-known across the country. Reverend Black became a hero for equal rights. He also became a leader in the city government as a city councilman.
Pastor Black invited many important people to speak at the church. These people were working for change and equal rights. Some of them included Thurgood Marshall, Adam Clayton Powell Jr, Azie Taylor Morton, Percy Sutton, and Barbara Jordan.
Helping the Community
The church did many great things for its community. It created the city's first credit union owned by African Americans. They also started a program called Project Free. This program helped people who needed it, like the poor and the elderly.
Rebuilding After a Fire
In 1974, someone intentionally set fire to the church. This is called arson. But the community did not give up! The church was rebuilt just one year later, in 1975.
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