First African Baptist Church - A Congregation's Own Bricks

Photo: Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)

A stop on Savannah, a free self-guided tour.

Facing Franklin Square is one of the most important Black churches in America. Its roots go back to the 1770s, when George Leile, an enslaved preacher, began baptizing converts around Savannah. In 1788 the congregation was formally organized under Andrew Bryan, who had been enslaved and later gained his freedom.

The building you see was put up between 1853 and 1859 by enslaved and free members of the congregation. It is described as the first brick building in Georgia owned by African Americans. Think about what that meant at a time when most of its builders could be bought and sold a few blocks away.

Inside, the church points to holes in the sanctuary floor that it interprets as air vents for people hiding on their way to freedom, and to markings on the old pews. The congregation still worships here, and its museum keeps objects reaching back to the early 1800s. Check the church website for current tour times.

Getting here: Walk west through City Market two blocks to Franklin Square. The church faces the square from Montgomery Street.

Did you know?: The church's museum displays a communion set dating from 1814.

Photo op: Stand in Franklin Square and frame the church's tall white steeple and brick front through the trees.

More on Wikipedia: First African Baptist Church · George Liele

First African Baptist Church - A Congregation's Own Bricks

Stops on this tour