St. Louis Street Missionary Baptist Church
Encyclopedia
St. Louis Street Missionary Baptist Church is a historic African American
church in Mobile
, Alabama
. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places
on October 08, 1976, due to its architectural and historic significance.
. A rift in this earlier church, over the sponsorship of a statewide missionary program, lead some members to establish what would become the St. Louis Street Missionary Baptist Church. The new congregation initially met near the intersection of Springhill Avenue and Broad Street, but by 1859 they had purchased the property on Dearborn Street.
The first pastor for the church was the Reverend Joshua Hawthorn, a white Baptist
minister. Hawthorn left in 1860, he was followed by the Reverend Charles Leavens, the congregation's first African American minister. The congregation sent organizers all over the state, with the result of bringing in many new churches and pastors. The congregation built the current building in 1872, with the design by C. L. Hutchinsson, a local architect. The new building was host to the seventh Colored Baptist Convention of Alabama in 1874, a meeting that lead to the formation of Selma University
in 1878.
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
church in Mobile
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on October 08, 1976, due to its architectural and historic significance.
History
St. Louis Street Missionary Baptist Church began as a part of Mobile's African Baptist Church, located near the intersection of Springhill Avenue and Ann Street. The congregation was active by 1836, constructed its own building by 1839, and eventually became known as the Stone Street Baptist ChurchStone Street Baptist Church
Stone Street Baptist Church is a historic African American Baptist church in Mobile, Alabama. The congregation was established well before the American Civil War, with Stone Street Baptist recognized today as one of Alabama's most influential...
. A rift in this earlier church, over the sponsorship of a statewide missionary program, lead some members to establish what would become the St. Louis Street Missionary Baptist Church. The new congregation initially met near the intersection of Springhill Avenue and Broad Street, but by 1859 they had purchased the property on Dearborn Street.
The first pastor for the church was the Reverend Joshua Hawthorn, a white Baptist
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...
minister. Hawthorn left in 1860, he was followed by the Reverend Charles Leavens, the congregation's first African American minister. The congregation sent organizers all over the state, with the result of bringing in many new churches and pastors. The congregation built the current building in 1872, with the design by C. L. Hutchinsson, a local architect. The new building was host to the seventh Colored Baptist Convention of Alabama in 1874, a meeting that lead to the formation of Selma University
Selma University
Selma University is a private, historically black, bible college located in Selma, Alabama, United States. It is affiliated with the Alabama State Missionary Baptist Convention.-History:...
in 1878.