OurCoast.com -- Tours

First African Baptist Church - (912) 232-6597 23 Montgomery Street

Oldest African-American church in North America; building constructed by slave hands. First pastor here was George Leile, whose ministry began in 1775 and who was freed from slavery in 1777. First African Baptist and First Bryan Baptist both grew from this early congregation. George Leile baptized slave Andrew Bryan, who became second pastor at First African baptist. Third pastor, Andrew Marshall, a slave for 50 of his 100 years, was in the pulpit here for 44 years. These men are pictured in stained glass windows. The marks of slavery can still be seen in the building, which was built by slave hands when their day's work was done. In the floor downstairs are breathing holes, said to be used by slaves fleeing to freedom via a secret tunnel from the church to the Savannah River; on pews in the balcony, enslaved artisans scratched in their African signatures - silent mementoes of souls in chains. Montgomery Street on Franklin Square.

Map | Next Stop: U.S. Custom House

Intro
A. Turner Memorial
B. William Scarbrough House
C. First Bryan Baptist Church
D. First African Baptist Church
E. U.S. Custom House
F. 426 East Saint Julian Street
G. Second African Baptist Church
H. Beach Institute, African-American Cultural Center
I. King-Tisdell Cottage Museum
J. First Congregational Church