Georgia's first Black Baptist church plays a seminal role in the history of Black people in America

First African Baptist ChurchPhoto byEllen Eastwood

History of the congregation

The First African Baptist Church in Savannah wasn't built until around 1850, but its roots began in 1773, when George Leile, an enslaved man, was licensed by the Baptists to preach to enslaved workers on plantations along the Savannah River.

After Leile, freed by the British, fled to Jamaica to avoid becoming enslaved again, the congregation was led by Andrew Bryan to official recognition in 1788. At that time, it had 67 members.

In 1815, Bryan's nephew Andrew C. Marshall took over the congregation and by 1830, it had grown to more than 2,400 members.

History of the church

Marshall wanted the congregation to have their own home and the church itself was built in the 1850s by both free African Americans and enslaved people, who would come and help with construction once their work was finished. It was finally completed in 1859, years after construction began.

The church is the first brick structure to be owned by African Americans in the state of Georgia.

Notable milestones

During the Civil War, the church was part of the underground railroad, and enslaved people hid underneath its flooring, which was designed with air holes for this purpose. The flooring's original patterning, designed to pay tribute to tribal symbols, helped to hide these air holes.

For 164 years, the church has played a seminal role in the advancement of Black people in Georgia. As the plaque outside the church states:

• Pastor Emanuel K. Love (the church's 6th pastor) was instrumental in establishing Savannah State University
• Rev. Dr. Ralph Mark Gilbert (the church's 13th pastor) was a prominent leader of the NAACP
• The church has also hosted a number of prominent Black speakers and advocates, including U.S. Representative Adam Clayton Powell of Harlem and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Today, the church's museum contains archives dating back to the congregation's beginnings, including pictures of the church's pastors and written records.

The church's place in history

While the church claims to be home to America's first Black Baptist congregation, a few other congregations dispute this claim. What is known is that the congregation survived for more than 100 years without a permanent home. The church was built despite the oppression of slavery.

Whether or not it represents the first Black Baptist congregation in the new world, this modest church in the heart of Savannah cannot be underestimated in terms of its role in the history of the country as well as the history of Black people in America.