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310:) and began a teaching career. It had been against the law in Virginia since the 1830's to educate Black Americans, both enslaved and free. It was also forbidden for educated African Americans to come into the state. It was not until Alexandria's occupation by Federal troops at the start of the Civil War in May 1861, that Robinson felt it was safe to return to Virginia. At that time Alexandria was being overwhelmed with contraband refugees fleeing slavery in the Confederacy.
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First
Baptist Church and Third Baptist Church until the basement of the church was reopened in September 1950. The sanctuary was completed in November 1950 and a "Rebuilding Stone" was laid. These repairs are still clearly visible in the different brick colors on the exterior side walls of the church.
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With support from the
American Baptist Free Mission Society of New York and the (Northern) American Baptist Home Mission Society, Rev. Robinson and his wife came to Alexandria and worked with Rev. George Washington Parker and Miss Amanda Borden to found several schools for contraband refugees. One of
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Reverend Clem
Robinson served for twelve years, his pastorate was ended in 1875. From 1875 to 2017, twelve other men would take the helm as pastor of the Beulah Baptist Church. The longest-tenured pastor of the church has been Rev. Dr. Columbus Watson who ushered the church into the 21st century and
332:
As the Civil War continued, the church building was used as a hospital to care for the wounded in this city on the front lines of the war. And when the federal government confiscated all lands within the
Confederate states (including Virginia), Beulah Baptist saw both its property and its new church
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According to church history, the addition to the rear of the church was built between 1920 and 1923. Further improvements were undertaken in the following decades. The back of the church was rebuilt and the first electric lighting system was installed. A Hook and
Hastings pipe organ, which had been
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In 1949 the wall on the north side of the church was damaged, however while in the midst of repairing it the south wall fell. Having to move out for repairs, worship services were initially held at the Elk's Home and later at the
Seventh Day Adventist Church. Other church programs were held at the
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Built in 1863, Beulah
Baptist Church is a front gable-roofed, freestanding brick structure located on South Washington Street, a main thoroughfare in the city. It is one of several significant historic churches on adjacent blocks. The two-story structure's most distinctive features include a large
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The Black churches founded during and after the Civil War include Beulah
Baptist, 1863; Zion Baptist, 1864; Shiloh Baptist, around 1863; Third Baptist Church, 1865; Meade Memorial, 1869; Ebenezer Baptist, 1881; Good Shepard Episcopal Chapel, 1883; Mt. Jezreel, 1890; Oakland Baptist, 1891; and St.
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refugees arriving in
Alexandria. The following year Robinson, together with Dye Carter, selected a parcel on South Washington Street to build their new church, and Carter oversaw construction of the building. The contraband school soon moved to that location and continued operating after the war.
286:, Virginia. The historic building is a two-story brick structure with a gable roof and large stained glass window. Built in 1863, it was sandwiched between the two Black neighborhoods of 'the Hill' and 'the Bottoms'. The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.
318:," served over 700 students in its first year. Other schools which they founded included a night school for adults and a "Normal and Theological Institute" for those with some education. These schools preceded the federal schools, set up by the Freedman's Bureau, by many months.
563:
M. B. Goodwin. "History of schools for the colored population," in
Special Report of the Commissioner of Education on the Improvement of Public Schools in the District of Columbia, Washington D.C.: U.S. Office of Education 1871, reprinted Arno Press, 1969, pp. 246,
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This pioneering effort preceded other Black Normal and Theological Institutes during the Reconstruction period, including Wayland Seminary (later Virginia Union, 1865), Fisk University (1866) Howard University (1867), and the Hampton Institute
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was the first of ten Black churches established in Alexandria following the town's occupation by Union troops in 1861. The church's first pastor, Rev. Clem Robinson, had established "The First Select Colored School" in 1861 for
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In addition to its role in educating recently freed African Americans, Beulah Baptist provided a supportive environment as the contraband refugees adjusted to their new life in freedom with shelter, work, and clothing.
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Rev. Clem Robinson had been born in Brunswick County, Virginia, but moved to Pennsylvania where he received both a collegiate and religious education at Ashmun Institute (now
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stained-glass window centered on the front facade, large flanking recessed brick panels, and two small decorative brick pinnacles at each corner of the facade.
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Today Beulah Baptist Church remains a vibrant church community in Alexandria Old Town, continuing to worship in their historic building on S. Washington St.
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building seized and returned to the previous owner. In 1877 Rev. Robinson and the officers were able to repurchase the property for their congregation.
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served at Beulah Baptist for 58 years (56 years as Pastor) until his retirement on September 30, 2017. Beulah Baptist is currently pastored by Rev.
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Jean Fagan Yellin, ed. The Harriet Jacobs Family Papers, Volume 2. Univ of North Carolina Press, 2008, pp. 444, 452-3, 490.
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Two other Black churches had been founded in Alexandria before the Civil War.
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just up the street, was installed. This organ is still at the church today.
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National Register of Historic Places listings in Alexandria, Virginia
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In the early days, Rev. Robinson taught upper-level students at the "
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Baptist Church One Hundred Thirtieth Anniversary (October 22, 1993).
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378:.For more on the historic Black neighborhoods of Alexandria, see
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Churches on the National Register of Historic Places in Virginia
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African American Historic Resources of Alexandria, Virginia MPS
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489:"African American Historic Resources of Alexandria, Virginia"
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National Register of Historic Places in Alexandria, Virginia
462:. Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Archived from
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History of the National Register of Historic Places
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16:Historic Baptist church in Virginia, United States
540:: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (
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495:. Dept. of the Interior National Park Service
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30:Beulah Baptist Church (Alexandria, Virginia)
1473:Brick buildings and structures in Virginia
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523:. Archived from the original on 2013-08-13
91:Show map of Alexandria Historical District
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656:U.S. National Register of Historic Places
38:U.S. National Register of Historic Places
518:"Beulah Baptist Church Final Nomination"
402:Roberts Memorial United Methodist Church
574:Union Hospitals in Alexandria, Virginia
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323:Beulah Normal and Theological Institute
64:Façade of Beulah Baptist Church in 2022
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436:"National Register Information System"
394:Alexandria African American Resources.
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493:National Register of Historic Places
441:National Register of Historic Places
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1458:Churches in Alexandria, Virginia
1448:African-American historic places
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316:The First Select Colored School
282:at 320 S. Washington Street in
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460:"Virginia Landmarks Register"
141:Show map of the United States
1453:Baptist churches in Virginia
398:Alfred Street Baptist Church
19:United States historic place
1384:National Historic Landmarks
392:Joseph Catholic, 1916. See
339:Quardricos Bernard Driskell
47:Virginia Landmarks Register
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1438:Churches completed in 1863
487:Calvit, Elizabeth (1994).
154:320 S. Washington Street,
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278:is a predominantly Black
229:NRHP reference
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214:mid-19th Century Revival
211:Architectural style
356:Christ Church Episcopal
1397:Keeper of the Register
1309:Poquoson (no listings)
1417:Contributing property
605:Beulah Baptist Church
446:National Park Service
276:Beulah Baptist Church
187:38.80389°N 77.04750°W
116:Show map of Virginia
354:given to Beulah by
284:Old Town Alexandria
266:Designated VLR
192:38.80389; -77.04750
183: /
380:Courageous Journey
308:Lincoln University
269:September 10, 2003
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1412:Historic district
590:The Church Beulah
448:. March 13, 2009.
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466:on 2013-09-21
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1358:Williamsburg
1290:Newport News
1285:Martinsville
1255:Harrisonburg
1230:Falls Church
1131:Westmoreland
1096:Spotsylvania
1046:Rappahannock
1016:Pittsylvania
921:King William
776:Chesterfield
766:Charles City
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525:. Retrieved
499:19 September
497:. Retrieved
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468:. Retrieved
464:the original
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1372:Other lists
1190:Buena Vista
1091:Southampton
986:Northampton
961:Mecklenburg
916:King George
871:Greensville
190: /
166:Coordinates
1432:Categories
1363:Winchester
1353:Waynesboro
1313:Portsmouth
1305:Petersburg
1200:Chesapeake
1180:Alexandria
1126:Washington
1081:Shenandoah
1066:Rockingham
1061:Rockbridge
971:Montgomery
906:James City
851:Gloucester
796:Cumberland
746:Buckingham
701:Appomattox
527:2023-01-08
470:2013-05-12
422:References
295:Contraband
175:38°48′14″N
156:Alexandria
1270:Lynchburg
1265:Lexington
1210:Covington
966:Middlesex
946:Lunenburg
926:Lancaster
856:Goochland
841:Frederick
806:Dinwiddie
801:Dickenson
771:Charlotte
736:Brunswick
731:Botetourt
706:Arlington
686:Alleghany
681:Albemarle
669:by county
242:VLR
178:77°2′51″W
1338:Staunton
1323:Richmond
1275:Manassas
1260:Hopewell
1235:Franklin
1215:Danville
1116:Tazewell
1101:Stafford
1051:Richmond
1021:Powhatan
996:Nottoway
981:New Kent
896:Highland
836:Franklin
831:Fluvanna
821:Fauquier
791:Culpeper
756:Caroline
751:Campbell
741:Buchanan
676:Accomack
660:Virginia
599:See also
536:cite web
345:Building
314:these, "
236:03001424
160:Virginia
151:Location
1379:Bridges
1343:Suffolk
1328:Roanoke
1318:Radford
1295:Norfolk
1250:Hampton
1225:Fairfax
1220:Emporia
1185:Bristol
1173:by city
1071:Russell
1056:Roanoke
1041:Pulaski
1011:Patrick
956:Mathews
951:Madison
936:Loudoun
886:Henrico
881:Hanover
876:Halifax
861:Grayson
816:Fairfax
761:Carroll
721:Bedford
711:Augusta
696:Amherst
414:(1868).
302:History
1300:Norton
1121:Warren
1111:Sussex
1001:Orange
976:Nelson
941:Louisa
866:Greene
781:Clarke
691:Amelia
290:Beulah
1333:Salem
1245:Galax
1171:Lists
1141:Wythe
1106:Surry
1086:Smyth
1076:Scott
891:Henry
846:Giles
826:Floyd
811:Essex
786:Craig
726:Bland
667:Lists
521:(PDF)
366:Notes
203:Built
1146:York
1136:Wise
1006:Page
716:Bath
564:286.
542:link
501:2022
206:1863
931:Lee
658:in
244:No.
231:No.
220:MPS
1434::
580:^
538:}}
534:{{
509:^
491:.
479:^
444:.
438:.
341:.
158:,
648:e
641:t
634:v
544:)
530:.
503:.
473:.
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