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Alfred Street Baptist Church, Alexandria, Virginia (VA), USA

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Alfred Street Baptist Church, Alexandria – Origin:
Alfred Street Baptist Church, Alexandria traces its origins to 1803, during the period when Thomas Jefferson served as the third president of the United States.

At that time, Baptists in Northern Virginia worshipped at the Backlick Baptist Church on Little River Turnpike.

However, in April 1803, members from Alexandria, Virginia separated from them to form the Alexandria Baptist Society.

Susan Black, a Negro slave was baptized as its first colored member in May 1803, and soon other coloreds were invited to join this integrated group.

In 1806, the colored members formally established the Colored Baptist Society of Alexandria as a ‘conjoined’ church with the Alexandria Baptist Society. This created the first African American Baptist church north of Richmond, Virginia.

In 1815, its numbers grew when slaves from Mount Vernon Plantation joined the Colored Baptist Society.

During 1818, members of the Colored Baptist Society were able to rent property at 313 South Alfred Street to hold their meetings.

After 18 years of renting, they purchased the site in September 1842.

Rev. William Evans served as the early leader (1806-1859) of the Colored Baptist Society, during which time they continued as a conjoined body with the white Alexandria Baptist Society.

In 1850, the Colored Baptist Society, now known as the African Baptist Society, was granted complete independence from the ‘conjoined’ body and adopted the Alexandria Baptist Church’s constitution. Membership of the newly independent colored assembly stood at 83 persons.

By 1855, membership had grown to 200 members as the group constructed the first known building and changed its name to the First African Baptist Church. The Church paid off the mortgage on the new building in two years.

Rev. William Evans served as the early leader (1806-1859) of the Colored Baptist Society, during which time they continued as a conjoined body with the white Alexandria Baptist Society.

In 1850, the Colored Baptist Society, now known as the African Baptist Society, was granted complete independence from the ‘conjoined’ body and adopted the Alexandria Baptist Church’s constitution. Membership of the newly independent colored assembly stood at 83 persons.

By 1855, membership had grown to 200 members as the group constructed the first known building and changed its name to the First African Baptist Church. The Church paid off the mortgage on the new building in two years.

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