Today we’d like to introduce you to First Bryan Baptist Church.
Hi First Bryan, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
A monument to Rev. George Leile, the first black Baptist missionary, marks the official site of First Bryan Baptist Church, the first black Baptist Church in Savannah Georgia, and possibly in the United States. This monument was erected by authorization of the capital national, capital missionary, capital Baptist, capital convention in 1916.
George Liele was a slave whose unusual talents and leadership ability was recognized by both races. As a result, he became converted about 1774, was baptized and was received into the membership of the Baptist church (white), in Burke County, of which Rev. Matthew Moore was pastor. His master, Mr. Henry Sharpe, who was deacon in this church, permitted George Liele to visit the neighboring plantation along the Savannah River and preach to the slaves.
On one of his visits to Brampton, a plantation owned by Mr. Jonathan Bryan, 4 slaves became converted, were baptized and became the nucleus of the first black missionary baptist church. These slaves were Andrew Bryan, his wife Hannah, Kate Hogg and Hagar Simpson. This was George Liele’s recorded visit.
Andrew Bryan was also talented, and with permission of Mr. Bryan, began to visit the plantations along the river as far as Yamacraw, preaching to black and white persons who gathered to hear him. Mr. Edward Davis (white) permitted the worshipers to erect a rough wooden building on his land in Yamacraw.
Rev. Thomas Burton and Rev. Abraham Marshall (white) became interested in the growing group of worshipers and on January 20, 1788 visited the services. Rev. Marshall baptized 45 converted, ordained Andrew Bryan to the ministry with full authority to preach the gospel and administer the ordinances of the baptist church. On this same date, he organized the group into what one day will be named the First Bryan Baptist Church, and install Andrew Bryan as the first pastor.
The church continued to hold services, often under adverse and painful conditions, at Brampton and in the temporary building in Yamacraw. Meanwhile, Rev. Bryan was able to secure his freedom from Mr. Bryan for a minimal sum and thereby devoted his time exclusively to his ministry. A third meeting place was provided by Mr. Thomas Gibbons who gave a lot to Andrew Bryan for this purpose. The lot was situated on Mill Street running to Indian Street Lane. A temporary building was erected here. This lot was conveyed June 1, 1790, to “free Andrew.” The main US Post Office is now located on this site.
With the help of the members and white friends who were sympathetic to the efforts of the church, Rev. Bryan was able to purchase the lot upon which the church now stands for “30 pounds sterling” (approximately $150.00), and erected a church making this site the oldest parcel of real estate own continuously by black people in the United States. This site is described as lot no. 7, middle Oglethorpe ward, 90-5 feet front and 100, 30-2 ½ feet deep. The deeds are dated September 4, 1793.
The First Bryan Baptist Church was incorporated by the State of Georgia in 1867, and appears for the first time in the records of deeds of Chatham County, September 4, 1793. Rev. Bryan pastored the church until his death in 1812.
From 1833 until 1861 First Bryan had 6 pastors and existed under trying conditions. In 1861 Rev. Ulysses L. Houston became pastor and First Bryan began to prosper and has continued to make phenomenal progress. During the period between 1788 and 1832, the first Sunday school for blacks was organized at the church in 1826 by Mr. Lowell Mason, who organized the first Sunday school in Savannah, at the Independent Presbyterian church. He was the first superintendent and was assisted by Messrs. George Coe, John Lewis and James Barr – all members of the Independent Presbyterian Church. This Sunday school was very successful and remained under supervision until December 1835, when the Presbyterian Church turn it over to First Bryan. It is still in operation.
The labor on the building was done exclusively by black mechanics under the supervision of the architect. The style of architecture is almost pure Corinthian and is similar in design to that of Wesley Chapel in London, England and the Trinity Methodist Church in Savannah, the plans for which were also made by Mr. Hogg and completed in 1850.
In October 1940, the Yamacraw community became Yamacraw Village when the cornerstone was laid for this well-known federal housing project. First Bryan Church is in this project and extends its services community-wide to serve the population. In 1956, the Educational Building was dedicated. This building contains classrooms, offices and an assembly hall, named for Dr. M. P. Sessoms, who served as superintendent for many years, and under whose leadership the church school was highly organized and functioned effectively as a Christian education center.
The present edifices, built in 1888, and the educational center, are modern and updated in all aspects – physical and program wise. The site, buildings, and furnishings are estimated to be approximately one and a half million dollars. This church is now listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Tours of the church are available upon request.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
A major and current obstacle and challenge that we are facing today include an ongoing fight for our land as the city is seeking to demolish the church and the surrounding Yamacraw community.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
As the oldest continuous black Baptist Church in America, we understand that First Bryan is more than a church building but more importantly we are part of the body of Christ. We have 238+ years of history and 238+ years experience of GOD’s love and faithfulness. Freely we have received and freely we give. We teach Christ in love and truth. As Christ would have it, it is our desire to reach the lost and work intensively to reach the ears and hearts of those beyond our church walls. As we put into practice what the Lord Jesus commands, we actively meet the need of our local community by walking the streets every first Sunday sharing the gospel, offering prayer and providing home cooked meals to those in need. During the cold seasons, we give away coats, socks and gloves and every 3rd Saturday at 9am we host what we call “Blessing Saturday” where we freely giveaway groceries, hygiene products, diapers and more.
Tours are also available upon request by our church historian, Georgia Benton.
Just call our office at (912) 232-5526 to schedule a tour.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://fbbcsav.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fbbcsav?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/firstbryan/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/FirstBryanBaptist
