Henry Adams (pastor)
Encyclopedia
Henry Adams was a Baptist
pastor and leader in the black community in 19th century Kentucky
. He was born to free parents in Franklin County, Georgia
and became ordained at age 23. He preached throughout the Deep South
before moving to Louisville, Kentucky
in 1829, where he became minister to black members of First Baptist Church.
In 1842, his 45-member congregation eventually withdrew to form First African Baptist Church, which was later renamed Fifth Street Baptist Church. It was the second black Baptist church in the state. He remained pastor of the congregation until his retirement in 1871.
Adams was self-educated and became a respected biblical scholar, and led the black Baptist community in Louisville for decades. Adams stressed that church-related education and self-help was the key to improvement of the situation of blacks in America. He organized black congregations during the Civil War
and served as moderator of the General Association of Colored Baptists.
Later in life he led a movement that culminated in the founding of Kentucky Normal and Theological Institute (later Simmons University) in 1879.
He married Margaret Corbin in 1842 and they had five children.
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
pastor and leader in the black community in 19th century Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. He was born to free parents in Franklin County, Georgia
Franklin County, Georgia
Franklin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It became Georgia's ninth county, incorporating on February 25, 1784, and was named in honor of patriot Benjamin Franklin...
and became ordained at age 23. He preached throughout the Deep South
Deep South
The Deep South is a descriptive category of the cultural and geographic subregions in the American South. Historically, it is differentiated from the "Upper South" as being the states which were most dependent on plantation type agriculture during the pre-Civil War period...
before moving to Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
in 1829, where he became minister to black members of First Baptist Church.
In 1842, his 45-member congregation eventually withdrew to form First African Baptist Church, which was later renamed Fifth Street Baptist Church. It was the second black Baptist church in the state. He remained pastor of the congregation until his retirement in 1871.
Adams was self-educated and became a respected biblical scholar, and led the black Baptist community in Louisville for decades. Adams stressed that church-related education and self-help was the key to improvement of the situation of blacks in America. He organized black congregations during the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and served as moderator of the General Association of Colored Baptists.
Later in life he led a movement that culminated in the founding of Kentucky Normal and Theological Institute (later Simmons University) in 1879.
He married Margaret Corbin in 1842 and they had five children.