First African Baptist Church (Savannah, Ga.) records

1873-1977

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

• George Liele, 1775-1782
• Andrew Bryan, 1788-1812
• Andrew Marshall, 1812-1856
• William J. Campbell, 1857-1877. During his tenure the present building was completed in 1859. George Gibbons, 1878-1884
• 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, History of the First African Baptist Church, from its organization, January 10th, 1788, to July 1st, 1888.(SC Rare 286-L)
• 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.
• T.J. Goodall, 1915-1922. Active participation was maintained in the National Sunday School and Baptist Young Peoples Union Congress.
• Edgar G. Thomas, 1923-1928. Rev. Thomas reviewed the facts pertaining to the origins and claims of the church. He wrote a second history, The first African Baptist Church of North America,in 1925. (SC 286-T)
• Mack T. Williams, 1929-1931
• J. Alfred Wilson, 1931-1939
• 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.
• Curtis J. Jackson, 1957-1961. He led demonstrations at the Board of Education and to desegregate public facilities.
• William Franklin Stokes, 1963-1973. Under his leadership the church was airconditioned and the lower auditorium was partitioned for classrooms.
• Lawrence McKinney, 1973-1980. The permanent museum was established during his period.
• He was active in local ministerial organizations.
• Thurmond Neill Tillman, 1982-present. Additional property has been acquired. Outreach ministries including local high schools and colleges have been established.