Historical Information on the Church - Development

During the closing years of the eighteenth century a few colored people who had come to Philadelphia from the Eastern Shore of Virginia to escape the cruel treatment of slave-masters were admitted to membership in the First Baptist Church (white).  There were no colored Baptist Churches in Pennsylvania at that time and only a very small number of colored people of the Baptist faith.

St Thomas Episcopal Church and Bethel A.M.E Church were organized during those years and it is said that the establishment of these Churches weas the outgrowth of humiliating treatement toward the colored members of these Churches.  This may be questioned; but it is beyond controversy that the relation between the white and colored members of the First Baptist Church was of the most cordial and Christian character.  As evidence of this fact, the founders of the First African Baptist Church were regularly granted letters of dismission upon their own request "for the purpose of establishing a Church of the same faith and order", under the care and protection of their Mother Church. 

On May 13th 1809, the First Baptist Church granted the letters of dismission to the 13 black members, and these 13 members established what is now known as First African Baptist Church of Philadelphia - the oldest black Baptist church in Pennsylvania. This organization took place on June 19th, 1809, and actually took place in the house of worship of the Mother Church.   The charter was granted by the Baptist Association and many years after the Pastor, Rev. Theodore D Miller, was elected moderator of the Association - a great honor, enjoyed by few white Ministers and [at that time] only one colored.  The relation between the Mother Church and the first colored Church has always been happy.

The beginning was auspicious.  Not a cloud was in their sky; with happy hearts they launched the "Old Ship of Zion."  Strong and willing hands manned it; with full sails set to favorable winds they embarked upon a calm sea, little knowing the many difficulties and dangers that awaited far out upon its storm bosom.  They believed in God and resolved to trust Him.  THe wonder devotion and faith of that little band of Christians have been transmitted to their children and today they parise God for the devoted fathers and mothers who bequeathed to them the rchest of all inheriance.  Surely they all must have been consecrated Christians, for God has blessed their seed unto the third and fouth generations.  THe seed of right living, thrift, ambition, education and self-respect was planted by that little flock. 

Dubbed 'The Mother Church', among black Baptists in Pennsylvania, all black Baptist churches owe their existence directly or indirectly to First African Baptist Church. The direct descendant churches, known as daughter churches are: Mt Zion Baptist Church of Germantown, Shiloh Baptist Church, Tasker Street Missionary Baptist Church, Miller Memorial Baptist Church, New Central Baptist Church, and Kaighn Avenue Baptist Church of Camden, New Jersey.

this sections features some excerpts taken from First African Baptist Church Philadelphia, Charles H Brooks, 1922.