Henry Adams (pastor)

Henry Adams (December 17 1802 – November 3 1872) was a Baptist pastor and leader in the black community in 19th century Kentucky. He was born to free parents in Franklin County, Georgia and became ordained at age 23. He preached throughout the Deep South before moving to Louisville, Kentucky in 1829, where he became minister to black members of First Baptist Church.

In 1842, his 45-member congregation eventually withdrew to form First African Baptist Church, which was later renamed Fifth Street Baptist Church. It was the second black Baptist church in the state. He remained pastor of the congregation until his death.

Adams was self-educated and became a respected biblical scholar, and lead the black Baptist community in Louisville for decades. Adams stressed that church-related education and self-help was the key to improvement of the situation of blacks in America. He organized black congregations during the Civil War and served as moderator of the General Association of Colored Baptists.

Later in life he lead a movement that culminated in the founding of Kentucky Normal and Theological Institute (later Simmons University) in 1879.

He married Margaret Corbin in 1842 and they had five children.

References

*cite book|title=Life Behind a Veil: Blacks in Louisville, Kentucky 1865-1930|year=1985|author=Wright, George C.

Further reading

*cite book|title=A History of Blacks in Kentucky Volume 1: From Slavery to Segregation|author=Lucas, Marion B.|year=1992