Second African Baptist Church
The Second African Baptist Church in Savannah is not just a church, but also a historical landmark that served as the backdrop to key events in history. It is located on Greene Square within Savannah’s Historic District and is one of the oldest Christian congregations in the country. The Second African Baptist Church was established in 1802, and was the catalyst for further expansion of the congregation throughout the city.
To understand the roots of the Second African Baptist Church, the First African Baptist Church has to be taken into account. The First African Baptist Church was formed by free and enslaved African Americans who sought to separate their congregation from the white Baptist Church. Due to its incredible growth throughout the years, the congregation had to be split, thus leading to the creation of the Second African Baptist Church. This move would lead to even more expansion, and the church expanded to reach further areas throughout the city.
The Second African Baptist Church was organized by Henry Cunningham, a successful businessman and preacher. He held a hauling business, which brought him great wealth, and was one of Savannah’s highest earning black businessmen. He was well regarded in the city due to his success, which allowed for his endeavor in creating the Second African Baptist Church to go smoothly.
The church was built on Greene Square, and upon opening its doors, it quickly became frequented by the city’s wealthiest free African Americans. Cunningham took care to train new pastors, regardless of race, through his time as the church’s lead preacher until his death in 1842.
With continued success, the church garnered the attention of many public figures of the time. In 1864, General William Tecumseh Sherman presented the Emancipation Proclamation on the entry steps of the church. Union Officer Rufus Saxton, who was an abolitionist, presented his “40 Acres (and a Mule)” order here as well, and this order mandated that each freed slave would be provided with 40 acres of cultivable land in an effort to sympathise with the struggles former slaves faced in establishing their lives. The result was favorable, as over 40,000 black families were able to settle on the land. This did not last long, however, as the order was revoked just a few months later forcing all of the settled families to evacuate the land they had been given.
More recently, in 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. visited the Second African Baptist Church. Here, he recited a speech that would later become known as his famous “I Have a Dream” speech performed at Washington Square. He regarded the city of Savannah as one of the least segregated cities in the south, and would continue to visit the city.
The Second African Baptist Church still occupies its original building constructed in 1925. It continues the legacy that Cunningham began, and continues to train the most ministers than any other congregation. While tours of the church are not available, the congregation welcomes visitors to attend service at any time.
