250:. Initially, most of the congregants were African American enslaved people who had permission from their owners to attend church. From its beginning, the church offered reading and religious education clandestinely. The city of St. Louis enacted laws to restrict assembly, education, and religious services for black people.
239:. An ordinance was passed in 1825 that made it illegal for African Americans to assemble, unless they had a permit and the events were attended by a police officer. The church required enslaved people to have permission of their owners to attend the church, which eased the concerns of many influential community members.
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Meachum, ordained by Peck in 1825, founded the First
African Baptist Church in 1827. It was then independent of the missionaries. The church, described as a "plain and comfortable brick house for worship", was located at Third and Almond (now Market) Street. It was the first African-American church
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While he was transparent about who might attend church services, Meachum secretly operated a school for blacks in the basement of the church called the Tallow Candle School. It taught reading and
Biblical scriptures and also provided a worship service. The school admitted all people who wished to
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The congregation grew from 14 people at its founding to 220 people by 1829. Two hundred of the parishioners were slaves, who could only travel to the church and attend services with the permission of their owners. The church was a stopping point on the
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In 1952, a separate two-story building was constructed for education and recreational facilities, including 10 classrooms, a combination auditorium and gymnasium for up to 3,000 people, and recreation rooms. In 1997, the church partnered with the
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A second building was constructed next to the church in 1952 for educational and recreational facilities, including a combination gymnasium and auditorium for up to 3,000 people. In 1997, the church partnered with the
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reported in 1874, that the church numbered 3,600 with 30 deacons. On the second Sunday in May of that year, 125 baptisms were performed by Mr. Holmes, a former enslaved man who was emancipated after the end of the
298:. People who wished to become members first met with the church's membership committee for their neighborhood, and if approved, they then met with the pastor, followed by a vote being taken of the members.
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Clio and Wright state that the services began in 1818. Duncan states that the church was founded in March 1818. The church states that it was founded in 1817; it celebrated its 200-year anniversary in 2017.
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receive an education, and it charged a monthly tuition of one dollar per pupil for those who could afford to pay. Some of the pupils chose to be baptized and become members of the church.
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The church grew to more than 500 people by the 1840s. On March 22, 1846, 22 or 23 of its members were released from the church and founded the Second
Colored Baptist Church (now the
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386:"First Baptist Church of St. Louis, oldest African-American church west of the Mississippi River, celebrates its 200th anniversary"
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231:. Meachum began preaching and assisting the missionaries in 1821. Peck provided guidance and supervision during monthly visits.
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A larger church was built between Fourth and Fifth Street in 1848. Meachum died while delivering a sermon in 1854. The
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and James Welch, established the
Sabbath School for Negroes in St. Louis, with the assistance of
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in 1917. In 1940, a fire destroyed the church, which was rebuilt over the following 13 months.
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In 1847, the school was closed by the police. Meachum then opened the
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The First
African Baptist Church had its beginnings in 1817, when two
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Wright states that the church was located at
Fourteenth and Clark.
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Discovering
African American St. Louis: A Guide to Historic Sites
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in 1827. It was the first
African-American church west of the
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Central
Baptist Church – St. Louis – 175 Anniversary Booklet
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at 3100 Bell Avenue in St. Louis. It is affiliated with the
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701:19th-century Baptist churches in the United States
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564:"First African Baptist Church History (S0006)"
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481:. Missouri History Museum. pp. 8–9, 38.
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313:The church moved to its current location in
691:Religious organizations established in 1817
521:. Scammell, Publishers. pp. 755–756.
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711:National Baptist Convention, USA churches
686:1817 establishments in Missouri Territory
626:"First Baptist Church Builds a Gymnasium"
651:"SLSO Songs of America: "Amazing Grace""
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518:A History of the Baptists in Missouri
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571:State Historical Society of Missouri
441:"First Baptist Church of St. Louis"
384:Wilbon, Roderick (April 28, 2017).
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601:"The Largest Church in the World"
327:IN UNISON choral ensemble program
308:IN UNISON choral ensemble program
16:Church in Missouri, United States
209:National Baptist Convention, USA
104:National Baptist Convention, USA
410:Brenc, Willie (June 11, 2014).
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515:Duncan, Robert Samuel (1882).
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681:Baptist churches in Missouri
323:St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
304:St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
244:First African Baptist Church
134:First African Baptist Church
638:– via Newspapers.com.
475:Wright, John Aaron (2002).
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117:.firstbaptistchurchstlouis
607:. July 1, 1874. p. 2
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605:St. Louis Post-Dispatch
290:St. Louis Post-Dispatch
274:Floating Freedom School
267:Central Baptist Church
696:Churches in St. Louis
49:38.64056°N 90.22250°W
260:Underground Railroad
221:Baptist missionaries
649:SLSO (2020-07-04).
54:38.64056; -90.22250
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242:It was founded as
229:John Berry Meachum
203:church located in
168:John Berry Meachum
68:3100 Bell Avenue,
706:Midtown St. Louis
528:978-0-7222-0695-9
488:978-1-883982-45-4
315:Midtown St. Louis
282:Mississippi River
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89:Denomination
187:Years built
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675:Categories
660:2022-02-14
635:2022-02-14
611:2022-02-14
450:2022-02-14
421:2022-02-14
416:Black Past
391:2022-02-14
362:References
164:Founder(s)
40:90°13′21″W
37:38°38′26″N
296:Civil War
278:steamboat
70:St. Louis
74:Missouri
65:Location
573:. 1974.
280:on the
215:History
201:Baptist
154: (
149:Founded
126:History
110:Website
94:Baptist
80:Country
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182:Active
143:Church
139:Status
567:(PDF)
333:Notes
276:on a
199:is a
523:ISBN
483:ISBN
445:Clio
190:1917
156:1817
152:1817
119:.org
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115:www
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