A History Of A Venerable Richmond Church
The third oldest African American Church in the United States, Richmond's First African Baptist Church (FABC) has roots back to 1780 but began in 1841, when the First Baptist Church separated into two entities, one for blacks and the other for whites. The church has been in continued existence since then, and its history is the subject of this book "Richmond's First African Baptist Church" (2023) in the Images of America series of local photographic histories published by Arcadia Press. The book's three authors include historians Dr. Raymond Pierre Hilton and Dr. Kimberly A, Matthews, authors of an earlier Images of America book on the Richmond 34 and Dr. Rodney D. Waller, the current Senior Pastor of FABC.
This book weaves together the history of the FABC with events in Richmond and the United States. The images and accompanying commentaries make for a fascinating story. Following an Introduction the book's five chapters give an overview of the FABC from 1780s to the present.
The first chapter, "In the Shadow of Slavery" covers the formation of the FABC in 1841 under the leadership of its first pastor, Dr Robert Ryland, who was white and pro-slavery as blacks were forbidden the pulpit. The story of the church's founding is enhanced by stories of slave revolts, including Nat Turner's rebellion, and by images of the fall of Richmond near the end of the Civil War.
Following the Civil War, the FABC chose its own leaders, and the book's second chapter centers on James Henry Holmes who was the pastor from 1865- 1900. The book describes the FABCs growth during this time, together with the growth of related institutions for higher learning for African Americans in Richmond. Individuals affiliated with the church who went on to distinguished careers include the financier Maggie Mitchell Walker who is discussed throughout the book and has a statue honoring her in Richmond. The book also discusses other African American Baptist churches that began to spin-off from FABC and to establish their own identity.
The third chapter follows the FABC from 1900-1950 under the leadership of Pastor W.T. Johnson who served the church for over 42 years. The church's history is told in the context of Jim Crow, including events such as the Richmond Trolley Boycott of 1904 and the rise of strongly segregationist city and state governments. The FABC's story is told in light of African American Richmond, including the Jackson Ward area, a center for African American culture and business. The people discussed in this section include Dr. Bessie Beatrice Tharps, an early African American female physician and a member of the FABC's Deaconess Board. Tharps lived a long active life and was involved in treating the 1918 influenza pandemic in Richmond.
The books' fourth chapter discusses the second half of the Twentieth Century with a focus on the Civil Rights Revolution in Richmond. The church moved during this period to accommodate changing demographics. Dr Y.B. Williams served as pastor during much of this period. The book discusses Civil Rights activism, including the 1960 sit-in by the "Richmond 34" and the growth of a new generation of African American leadership, including Douglas Wilder, who became the first African American to serve as a state governor since Reconstruction. Protests and attendant social change mark this part of the FABC's history.
The book's final chapter brings the FABC story current under its current pastor and book's co-author, Dr. Rodney Waller. During the early years of the 21st Century, the FABC looked back to honor and commemorate its past. With the COVID pandemic, the church kept its community together through online services. These years proved tumultuous in Richmond, with protests involving George Floyd leading to the removal of many Confederate statues, including a statue of Robert E. Lee. The FABC continues in its primary mission of worship, together with community service, social justice, and education.
It was valuable and moving to learn about the FABC through this book and to think about its particular history in a broader context.
