Welcome to
First African Baptist Church
“The Church In The Community
For The Hearts Of The Community”
About Us
CHURCH HISTORY
1790 - Present
25 Years
Around 1790, the first site of the First African Baptist Church was on Old Captain's "Territory" which was later named Winslow (Avenue of Champions) and Lexington Avenue streets. John Maxwell, one of the founding fathers of Lexington, allowed Peter Duerett (Old Captain) space on this land for a cabin and aided him in the construction.
Pastor: Rev. Peter Duerette (Captain)
In 1815, the First African Baptist Church purchased it first property for a meeting place on the corner of Hill (High) and Mulberry (Limestone) streets. Situated on the site was a cotton factory, which was used as a meeting house.
Pastor: Rev. Peter Duerett (Captain)
5 Years
The church exchanged the cotton factory land in 1820 for another site (in the same block) on the corner of Mulberry (Limestone) and Maxwell Streets. The new location was called Castleman's Bagging Factory.
Pastors: Rev. Peter Duerett (Captain) and Rev. London Ferrill
13 Years
154 Years
In 1832, the church located another desirable meeting house on Short and Deweese streets. This property had formerly been occupied by the Methodist (white) church and then by a cabinet shop and clock factory. The church purchased the property in 1833 from Alfred Warner.
Pastors: Rev. London Ferrill, Rev. S.E. Smith, Rev. Frederick Braxton,
Rev. J. W. Hawkins, Rev. James Monroe, Rev. W. Augustus Jones,
Rev. J.F. Thomas, Rev. Robert Mitchell, Rev. William J. Simmons,
Rev. Homer E. Nutter, Rev. S.P. Young, Rev. L. H. McIntyre
Present
The First African Baptist Church purchased the old Douglas School property on Price Road from the Fayette County Board of Education in 1981. Groundbreaking for the new edifice was in 1985. July 12, 1987 marked the completion and dedication of the new 1.2 million dollar edifice. On April 14, 2002, the church held its Debt Free Mortgage Burning service.
Pastors: Dr. L.H. McIntyre and Rev. N.L. Moore
* The Cabin, Cotton Factory and Bagging Factory shown here are only reasonable facsimiles of the original building.
The cabin sketch is by Ms. Carolyn Harrington.