Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

First African Baptist Church (Richmond, Va.). [Cite specific record used and dates]. Accession 28255, Church records collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

Lent for copying by Dr. J. P. Harahan, 5016 Devonshire Road, Richmond, Virginia, 7 January 1974.

Biographical/Historical Information

This church was built in 1802 as the first Baptist church building in Richmond and was also the site of the Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1829-1830. The black congregation bought the church from its white members in 1841, when the latter moved to a new church. It was constituted the First African Baptist Church on 3 October 1841. For more information see, The First Baptist Church, Richmond, 1780-1955: One Hundred and Seventy-five Years of Service to God and Man, by Blanche Sydnor White, 1955, and "Origin and History of the First African Church," in The First Century of the First Baptist Church, Richmond, Virginia, 1780-1880, edited by H. A. Tupper, 1880.

Scope and Content Information

Includes three minute books. The first covers the period from 3 October 1841 to 7 August 1859. There is an account of the organization of the church on page one. There are no membership lists in this volume. However, many names are listed of candidates for baptism, persons dismissed or excluded, and deaths.

The second volume covers the period 7 June 1875 to 12 September 1897, and contains very complete minutes. There are no membership lists.

The third volume covers the period 5 October 1897 to 2 June 1930. The minutes are thorough but contain no membership lists.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged chronologically.