- unitid
-
{"value"=>"20852", "type"=>"local_mss"}
- unitdate
-
{"value"=>"1873-1977", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1873/1977"}
- date_inclusive_start
-
1873
- date_inclusive_end
-
1977
- keydate
-
1873
- unittitle
-
{"value"=>"First African Baptist Church (Savannah, Ga.) records"}
- physdesc
-
{"format"=>"simple", "value"=>"5 reels of microfilm"}
- repository
-
{"value"=>"<span class=\"corpname\">The New York Public Library Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture</span>"}
- langmaterial
-
{"value"=>"English"}
- origination
-
{"value"=>"First African Baptist Church (Savannah, Ga.)", "type"=>"corpname"}
- bioghist
-
{"value"=>"<p>First African Baptist Church of Savannah, Georgia is said to have been officially “born” on May 20, 1775, the day Rev. George Liele was ordained. Liele, who had obtained his freedom on August 7, 1777, noted in a covenant that the church began in December 1777. In 1782 or 1783, before leaving for Jamaica, West Indies, he baptized slaves on the Brampton plantation owned by Jonathan Bryan. One of these newly baptized, Andrew Bryan, then organized the congregation into the first black missionary Baptist Church on January 20, 1788. Two years later, in May 1790, the First African Baptist Church was admitted into the Georgia Baptist Association.</p> <p>On September 4, 1793 Andrew Bryan secured a lot on West Bryan Street which he sold to the church. This lot is said to be the oldest piece of real estate owned continuously by black people in the United States.</p> <p>Andrew Cox Marshall, nephew of Bryan, was named pastor of First African Baptist Church in 1812. He later purchased property on Franklin Square for a larger church to accommodate the growing congregation.</p> <p>A schism occurred in 1832 when Marshall allowed a white minister advocating a new faith to preach at First African Baptist Church. The matter came before the association of Georgia Baptist churches, known as the Sunbury Association, in November of that year and the church was condemned and its membership with the Association dissolved. Subsequently, the majority of the congregation (2,640 members) sided with Marshall and moved to the new location on Franklin Square. About one hundred fifty-five members, under Deacon Adam Johnson, remained at the original site which later became First Bryan Baptist Church.</p> <p>The dispute about which church could lay claim to being the oldest African-American church organized in the state was brought to the State Missionary Baptist Connection of Georgia in 1888. The question was referred to a committee which presented a unanimous report in favor of the First African Baptist Church over First Bryan Baptist Church.</p> <p>The present building of First African Baptist Church was erected in 1859 by the members, who at the time were slaves. The first black Sunday school in North America was established in 1826 at this church.</p> <ul> <li>George Liele, 1775-1782</li> <li>Andrew Bryan, 1788-1812</li> <li>Andrew Marshall, 1812-1856</li> <li>William J. Campbell, 1857-1877. During his tenure the present building was completed in 1859. George Gibbons, 1878-1884</li> <li>Emanuel K. Love, 1885-1900. An adjoining lot was acquired and the church building was extended. Rev. Love led the movement to establish Savannah State College and to select its first president. He wrote the first complete history of the church in 1888, <span class=\"emph\">History of the First African Baptist Church, from its organization, January 10th, 1788, to July 1st, 1888.</span>(SC Rare 286-L)</li> <li>James W. Carr, 1901-1907. A new Baptist pastorium was acquired. Oak pews were purchased and electric fixtures were installed. Willis L. Jones, 1909-1913. All church debt was eradicated.</li> <li>T.J. Goodall, 1915-1922. Active participation was maintained in the National Sunday School and Baptist Young Peoples Union Congress.</li> <li>Edgar G. Thomas, 1923-1928. Rev. Thomas reviewed the facts pertaining to the origins and claims of the church. He wrote a second history, <span class=\"emph\">The first African Baptist Church of North America,</span>in 1925. (SC 286-T)</li> <li>Mack T. Williams, 1929-1931</li> <li>J. Alfred Wilson, 1931-1939</li> <li>Ralph Mark Gilbert, 1939-1956. Rev. Gilbert was also president of the Savannah branch of the NAACP and first president of the Georgia State Conference of the NAACP. He organized the West Broad Street YMCA and established the Greenbriar Children's Center, Inc. He was a leader in the political life of blacks in Georgia. The first credit union in a church in Georgia was organized under his pastorate in 1954. He also fought for the equalization of teacher's salaries.</li> <li>Curtis J. Jackson, 1957-1961. He led demonstrations at the Board of Education and to desegregate public facilities.</li> <li>William Franklin Stokes, 1963-1973. Under his leadership the church was airconditioned and the lower auditorium was partitioned for classrooms.</li> <li>Lawrence McKinney, 1973-1980. The permanent museum was established during his period.</li> <li>He was active in local ministerial organizations.</li> <li>Thurmond Neill Tillman, 1982-present. Additional property has been acquired. Outreach ministries including local high schools and colleges have been established.</li></ul>"}
- scopecontent
-
{"value"=>"<p>The records of First African Baptist Church, Savannah, GA were microfilmed by <span class=\"emph\">The Preservation of the Black Religious Heritage Project (PBRHP)</span>of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, during the month of February 1992. Originals were retained by the church. The collection had been arranged previously in chronological-numerical order, in series, by college students working under the supervision of the Georgia State Historical Society. No attempt was made to re-arrange the collection prior to microfilming. The assigned numbering system which appeared on ledgers, folders and boxes was not changed. The church records are housed in closed cabinet shelves in the museum room. Some records are displayed on tables and in glass cases for easy viewing by visitors.</p>"}
{"value"=>"<p class='list-head'>The First African Baptist Church (Savannah, Ga.) records are arranged in nine series:</p>\n<ul class='arrangement series-descriptions'>\n<li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/20852#c655231'>Church Minutes</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1883-1887</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The <span class=\"emph\">CHURCH MINUTES, 1883-1887,</span>series is comprised of a single large ledger of early church minutes. Begun during the tenure of Pastor George Gibbons, it primarily covers letters of dismission and disciplinary proceedings. The last entries cover the early years of Rev. Emanuel King Love's pastorate.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/20852#c655233'>Financial Records</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1889-1921, 1962-1963</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The <span class=\"emph\">FINANCIAL RECORDS, 1889-1921, 1962-1963,</span>series includes minutes on the organization of the Reformation Association for Youth of the Colored Race by Pastor Love in July 1894 and discussions on its guidance and objectives. Minutes of the executive board of Mount Olive Baptist Association's joint meeting with the Zion Association on November 21, 1894 also appear in these ledgers. Details of salary paid to the pastor and sexton and loan payments are entered. Contributions, donations and expenses made in 1962 to 1963 are included in ledger book 5.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/20852#c655243'>Membership Records</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1915-1926</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The <span class=\"emph\">MEMBERSHIP RECORDS, 1915-1926,</span>series is comprised of two register books with members' names and disposition, i.e., method of joining and leaving as well as pledges made. Included is information on baptisms; accessions, i.e., members joining through transfers by letters or Christian experience; reinstatements and deaths, etc.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/20852#c655246'>Deeds, Leases and Legal Papers</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1873-1972</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The <span class=\"emph\">DEEDS, LEASES AND LEGAL PAPERS, 1873-1972,</span>series has various deeds and property papers, loan agreements, and leases. Petitions by heirs of Rev. Emanuel K. Love for salary and cash loaned to the church corporation representing indebtedness at the time of his death is an example of other matters contained therein.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/20852#c655251'>Minutes of Boards and Associations</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1892-1959</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The <span class=\"emph\">MINUTES OF BOARDS AND ASSOCIATIONS, 1892-1959,</span>series contains various minute books of deacon ward reports, monthly church conferences, board of deacons, and church organizations, including ushers association and First African Baptist Church Brotherhood. Most issues dealt with are dismission, restoration, disciplinary actions against members, election of officers and call for resignation of pastor, etc. A daily journal of Rev. Curtis Jackson (1957-61) has listing of appointments and activities with some commentary; the writing is mostly indecipherable. (See also Reel 5.)</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/20852#c655264'>Sunday School Records</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1896-1971</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The <span class=\"emph\">SUNDAY SCHOOL RECORDS, 1896-1971,</span>series is comprised of minutes and roll books listing teachers, names of enrollees, attendance, and dues paid. There are several gaps in entries for the years indicated.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/20852#c655328'>Baptist Young Peoples Records, 1</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1913-1961</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The <span class=\"emph\">BAPTIST YOUNG PEOPLES RECORDS, 1913-1961,</span>series has brief minutes including song, prayer, biblical verse, subject for following Sunday with comments such as, “interesting discussion, and “program was very nice!”</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/20852#c655339'>Workers Council Records</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1943-1961</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The <span class=\"emph\">WORKERS COUNCIL RECORDS, 1943-1961,</span>series covers minutes of meetings, devotional readings and discussions of biblical passages and verses with members commentaries and their experiences. Some loose pages of trustees minutes and a deacons' ordination council meeting in 1956 are among these records.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/20852#c655355'>Church Histories, Printed Matter and Miscellaneous</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1871-1989</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The <span class=\"emph\">CHURCH HISTORIES, PRINTED MATTER AND MISCELLANEOUS, 1871-1989,</span>series contain books on the church's history, articles, a sesquicentennial journal and an historical sketch. A few copies of the church's publication <span class=\"title\">The First African Baptist Informer</span>created by Rev. Ralph M. Gilbert are included. Church constitutions and death lists also appear here.</p><p>Article by Yancey, Wanda, <span class=\"title\">In Savannah, First African Baptist Church Means <span class=\"emph\">First.</span></span> August 1989</p></div></li></ul>\n", "type"=>"arrangement"}
- arrangement
-
{"value"=>"Records organized into nine series: I. Church Minutes; II. Financial Records; III. Membership Records; IV. Deeds, Leases and Legal Papers; V. Minutes of Boards and Associations; VI. Sunday School Records; VII. Baptist Young Peoples Records; VIII. Workers Council Records; and IX. Church Histories, Printed Matter and Miscellaneous", "supress_display"=>true}
- acqinfo
-
{"date"=>"1992", "materials"=>"Microfilm", "source"=>"Originals in First African Baptist Church", "address"=>"23 Montgomery Street, Savannah, Ga., 31401", "value"=>"Microfilm: Originals in First African Baptist Church, 1992"}
- userestrict
-
{"value"=>"<p>Permission from church is required to purchase copy of microfilm. Letter authorizing reproduction should be sent to the Curator of Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Book Division, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, 515 Malcolm X Blvd., New York, NY 10037</p>"}
- originalsloc
-
{"value"=>"<p>Originals in First African Baptist Church; 23 Montgomery Street, Savannah, Ga. 31401</p>"}
- abstract
-
{"value"=>"The records of the First African Baptist Church of Savannah, Georgia are divided into nine series: Church Minutes; Financial Records; Membership Records; Deeds, Leases and Legal Papers; Minutes of Boards and Associations; Sunday School Records; Baptist Young Peoples Records; Workers Council Records; and Church Histories, Printed Matter and Miscellaneous."}
- prefercite
-
{"value"=>"First African Baptist Church (Savannah, Ga.) records, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, The New York Public Library"}
- processinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Processed by Victor Smythe; Machine-readable finding aid created by Apex Data Services; revised by Terry Catapano.</p>"}
- date_start
-
1873
- date_end
-
1977