Excerpt from First Baptist Church: "A Century of Christian Witnessing" 1867-1967

First Baptist Church of Charlotte, North Carolina, with God as its pilot has an illustrious chronicle as the first Negro Baptist Church of Charlotte. The N. C. Baptist State Convention of 1850 made it mandatory for slaves to be provided places for worship and religious instruction. At one time the membership was nine hundred as quoted in the Charlotte News Textile Industrial Edition. From this beginning there was an outgrowth of other churches.

Of the four hundred thousand Negro Baptists in America at the end of the Civil War, sixty -six (some docu ments state fifty -five) brave Christians, who were formerly associated with First Baptist Church now located on North Tryon Street, were granted letters to form their own church in June 1867. Alfred Jones, Deacon of the colored members was instrumental in recommending the first members. Rev. E. H. Griffith and Rev. Hinton helped with the organization. The places of worship were Yankee Hospital near the site of the present YMCA Building on Morehead Street and South Boulevard and the present location which was purchased in 1870.

The Sunday School Annex is the site of the first church, a frame structure. In 1901 the new edifice was begun. Much of the labor was done by the members after their daily work. Lanterns were held by the women of the church while the men did the manual part of the great project started under Dr. C. C. Somerville and completed under Dr. P. S. Lewis. Often the women brought food for those who did not have the opportunity of eating before coming to work. Some of the known deceased helpers were Brother Dave and Sister Mary Jane Hampton, the parents of Mrs. Sarah Diamond; Sister Mary Mayo; Sister Celia Emmons, the mother of Mrs.

Minnie Jackson; Sister Nellie Gray, the mother of Mrs. Gillie Lane; Brother Grant and Sister Sally Wallace, the parents of Mrs. Eva Wallace Miller; Brother Noah and Sister Mary French; Sisters Priscilla and Harriette Diamond Brother Grief and Sister Lucy Friday; Brother John and Sister Mary Lucky; and Sister Lillian Cruse Graves. The formal dedication of our present church was held the week of September 17 -23, 1911.

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