Temple Baptist Church – King Solomon Baptist Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Temple Baptist Church / King Solomon Baptist Church
|
|
Main Auditorium
|
|
 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan |
|---|---|
| Built | 1917 / 1937 |
| Architect | J. Will Wilson / Unknown |
| Architectural style | Tudor Revival / Art Deco |
| NRHP reference No. | 15000159 |
| Added to NRHP | May 1, 2015 |
The Temple Baptist Church/King Solomon Baptist Church is a special place in Detroit, Michigan. It's actually made up of two important buildings. These buildings are located where Fourteenth Avenue and Marquette Avenue meet.
One building, built in 1917, is called the Educational and Recreation Building. It has a classic Tudor Revival style. An architect named J. Will Wilson designed it. By 1940, it was changed to hold classrooms and offices. The second building, built in 1937, is the Main Auditorium. It has a cool Art Deco design and looks much like it did when it was first built. Today, these buildings belong to the King Solomon Missionary Baptist Church.
A Look at the Buildings
The church property includes two main structures. The older building was originally the church itself. It was later updated to be a place for learning and fun activities. This building shows off the Tudor Revival style, which was popular for its decorative details.
The newer building is the Main Auditorium. It was built later and has a sleek Art Deco look. This style was very modern in the 1930s. This large auditorium has been used for many important gatherings over the years.
History of Temple Baptist Church
The church first opened in 1917. It was known as the Fourteenth Avenue Baptist Church. The Fourteenth Avenue Baptist Society, which started in 1892, founded it. In 1921, this church joined with another one, the Grand River Avenue Baptist Church. Together, they became the Temple Baptist Church.
Many people in the congregation were from the southern United States. They had moved to Detroit to find jobs. In 1934, a famous religious leader, Rev. J. Frank Norris, became the pastor. He also led his home church in Texas at the same time. The Temple Baptist Church later moved to a new location in Detroit. In 1968, a third Temple Baptist Church opened in Redford Township.
King Solomon Baptist Church and Its Impact
King Solomon Baptist Church started in 1926. In 1951, this church bought the Temple Baptist Church buildings. The Main Auditorium could hold over 5,000 people. At that time, it was the biggest auditorium in Detroit owned by an African American group.
This church became a very important place during the Civil Rights Movement. It was an early member of the Progressive National Baptist Convention. This group held its second yearly meeting there. The church was also the site of Malcolm X's famous "Message to the Grass Roots" speech in 1963. This was one of his most powerful talks. Many other important leaders spoke there too. These included Martin Luther King Jr., Ralph D. Abernathy, and Benjamin Mays.
