The First African Baptist Church, originally called the African Baptist Church (until the establishment of the 2nd African Baptist Church in about 1846) was founded in 1841 by the black members of Richmond's First Baptist Church, along with some of the Black members of the Second and the Third Baptist Church as well. The
First Baptist Church housed a multiracial congregation from its early beginnings until the white members of the congregation built a new church in 1841. First Baptist was originally founded in 1780 as the
Richmond Baptist Church, and first located on the northeast corner of Cary St. at 2nd St. The congregation moved in 1802. For many years leading up to the split of the congregation, whites were a minority at the church—a fact which made some of them uncomfortable. Many black members had also called for a split because they were often denied entrance after the building became crowded. After they built a new church building for the white members of the First Baptist Church, the church leadership sold the building that they had been meeting in to the black members. It was then renamed by adding "African" to the title. Most of its early enslaved members were initially from the
Tidewater region of Virginia before they were hired to businesses in Richmond. Many freedmen traveled from other cities to attend its services, as well. In 1866
James H. Holmes, a former slave and highly gifted preacher, and also a member and deacon of the church, was elected assistant pastor, and in 1867 pastor at the Church. Under Holmes, the church grew significantly and became one of the largest churches in the country. In 1871 he baptized 600 people, in 1878 he baptized 1,100. In 1876 the original building was torn down and the congregation built a new church costing $35,000 and installed an organ costing $2,500, which was the largest organ in any African American church, in 1877. The location of both the original church building and its replacement is at the corner of College Street and East Broad Street. The demolition of the original church building was an act which brought accusations of "a true lack of American veneration for old things" from
Harpers Weekly. The First African Baptist Church congregation moved in 1955. The church building was then sold to the
Medical College of Virginia. Some church members characterized the sale as insensitive to the church's contribution to
African-American history. The building now holds offices, classrooms, and laboratories. It soon experienced rapid growth. In 1858 an offshoot of the church was established as the Third African Baptist Church for its 400 members who lived west of 2nd St. and north of Broad St. The name of the Third African Baptist Church was soon changed to
Ebenezer Baptist Church. By 1861, the services at First African were regularly attended by more than three thousand people. There was a dispute in 1880 which caused over seven hundred members to leave the church.
The New York Times wrote that approximately four thousand members remained after the split.
Events As one of the largest meeting halls in Richmond, it was often rented for white events. While the government of the
Confederate States of America was based in Richmond during the
American Civil War, the church was often used for speeches by politicians including Governor
William Smith and President
Jefferson Davis.
Judah Benjamin also spoke at the church to recruit blacks into the
Confederate Army. In 1865
Horace Greely, abolitionist publisher of the
New York Tribune spoke at the church regarding the post-Civil War
Reconstruction. ==Practices==