Jim Embry

First African Baptist Church History How did this building come to be? 13- In 1790, Peter Duerett, an enslaved preacher, who had come to Kentuckyfrom Virginiawith Craig’s Traveling Church, gathered enslaved believers to form the African Church, the first west of the Allegheny. They met at the cabin in which Peter and his wife lived until they outgrew the space. They met in factory warehouses in downtown Lexingtonuntil 14- 1815 when the church trustees, who were free, Samuel Oldham, Parker Peay, Rolly Blue and others, signed a deed for a lot and building at the corner of South Mulberry (now South Limestone Street) and Maxwell. 15- In the same year, Rev. London Ferrill and his wife Rhoda, free blacks who had migrated from Virginia in 1812, buy a lot on East Short Street and built their two-story brick home. It was adjacent to the small brick building constructed in 1806 by the Methodist Church(white). 16- So it was not by happenstance that the African Churchpurchased the lot and building on East Short and Back Streets (now Dewees) in February of 1833. Rev. Ferrill had been the spiritual leader of the congregation for ten years; Peter Duerett having died in 1823. The congregation is impacted between June and August when 184 enslaved and 48 free Blacks die of cholera, one of whom was Rhoda Ferrill In 834 the lot at South Mulberry and Maxwell streets is sold to Sarah Sayre. 17- The congregation continues to worship in the small building until 1856 when Rev. Frederick Braxton, who succeeded Rev. Ferrill after his death in 1854, leads them to construct their first new building especially designed for their use. It measured 65x90 feet. It plays a vital role in the development of a growing community. 18- The Meetinghouse was used for a school in 1865; meetings of local and state organizations: YMCA, Benevolent Society No.2; Association of Baptist (colored) which later becomes the General Association of Baptist; benefit concerts for the Colored Day Nursery; Emancipation Celebration: training program for nurses; job employment center; WPA work center 19- The walls of the meeting house heard the voices of those fighting discrimination during the separate coach protest and of those forming and supporting organizations for the uplift of our people. The happy voices of children graduating and voices singing in concert echo as well. Individuals (to name a few) who attended meetings here were informed and entertained by Charles Parrish, president of Simmons University Madam C.J. Walker, hair care product millionaires Adam Clayton Powell, Sr., politician Rev. Henry Boyd, Director National Baptist Publishing House Starling Hatchet, winner of Marion Anderson Music Scholarship 20- After 158 years the building is still standing as the only Italianate structure remaining in East Lexington. Our slave ancestors were inspired to build it, surely we can restore and revive it. 1-First African Foundation, Inc. independently of the 1st African Baptist church, was founded in December 2010; IRS non-profit status granted in July 2011. 2-William E. Thomas, our founding president, was a member of 1st Baptist Church. As a child he was inspired to study a string instrument when he learned that his grandmother, Ellen Williams Thomas had taught violin. After graduating from Oberlin in Ohioand Pennsylvania University, he studied in Europe. He became a professional Cellist, performing in the United States,Europe,Asiaand Japan 3- He became Department Chair and Director of Performance at Phillips Academy,Andover,Massachusettswhere he taught, mentored and inspired hundreds of young people for 36 years. He was Artist Director with Project STEP and Music Director of the Cambridge Community Choir. 4- Mr. Thomas researched performed and recorded the music of Black Composers in 1998 and 2003. He died suddenly in April 2013. 5- He had gathered like minded individuals to form the First African Foundation, Inc. to Reclaim, Restore, Revive the Old African Meetinghouse 6 –Individua