Second Baptist Church (Detroit, Michigan)

Infobox_nrhp | name =Second Baptist Church Of Detroit
nrhp_type =

---

caption =
location= Detroit, Michigan
lat_degrees = 42
lat_minutes = 20
lat_seconds = 5.61
lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 83
long_minutes = 2
long_seconds = 36.36
long_direction = W
locmapin = Michigan
area =
built =1857
architect= Unknown
architecture= Gothic
added = March 19, 1975
governing_body = Private
refnum=75000970cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2007-01-23|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service]

The Second Baptist Church is located in Detroit, Michigan, at 441 Monroe Street within Greektown. It is the oldest African-American church in the Midwestern United States.

History

The church was organized in March 1836 by 13 former slaves who left the First Baptist Church due to discrimination. [http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/detroit/d13.htm National Park Service-Historic Places in Detroit] Second Baptist Church] Second Baptist was Detroit's seventh major church. [http://account.churchwebworks.com/acct/12035-7004/tmpl/tm260_about_page_1.php History page from the Second Baptist Church] ] With Canada's border only a few miles away, the Second Baptist Church quickly undertook the mission of helping free slaves. Church leaders assisted in creating the Amherstburg Baptist Association and the Canadian Anti-Slavery Baptist Association, both of which were abolitionist groups in Canada. From its founding until the end of the Civil War, the church served as a "station" on the Underground Railroad, hosting some 5,000 slaves before their eventual departure to Canada.

Second Baptist also opened the city's first school for black children in 1839, and in 1843 and 1865 hosted a "State Convention of Colored Citizens" to petition the Michigan government for Negro Suffrage. Ralph Bunche, who later became the first African-American to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, was baptized in the church. Second Baptist was instrumental in the formation of over 30 other African-American churches.

Building

The current building replaced an earlier structure which was destroyed by fire in 1914. Additions to the building were made in 1926 and 1968 It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and [http://www.mcgi.state.mi.us/hso/ Michigan Historic Sites] .

Current status

The Second Baptist Church is a member of the predominantly black Progressive National Baptist Convention and of the predominantly white American Baptist Churches in the USA. Reverend Dr. Kevin M. Turman is the senior pastor, the 23rd person to haold that position at Second Baptist.

References

External links

* [http://www.secondbaptistdetroit.org/ Second Baptist Church]
* [http://members.aol.com/churchwww/second.htm Second Baptist Church]
* [http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/detroit/d13.htm National Park Service-Historic Places in Detroit]
* [http://www.mcgi.state.mi.us/hso/ Michigan Historic Sites]