*First African Baptist Church

First African Baptist Church, the oldest Black congregation in the United States, was organized in 1773 under the leadership of Reverend George Leile. In May of 1775 he was ordained as the pastor and in December of 1777 the church was officially constituted as a body of organized believers. Under the leadership of the 3rd Pastor Reverend Andrew C. Marshall, the congregation obtained the property where the present sanctuary stands. Marshall also organized the first black Sunday school in North America and changed the name of the church from “First Colored Baptist” to “First African Baptist”. The sanctuary was completed in 1859 under the direction of the 4th Pastor Reverend William J. Campbell.