First African Baptist Church, Savannah
	Avery Manuscript Number 1022
	Historical Note: George Liele, a slave preacher who ministered along the Savannah
	River, formed the First African Baptist congregation sometime in the early 1770s. During
	the Revolutionary War, Liele left the United States and appointed Andrew Bryan, also
	a slave, to lead the church. Bryan built the first church in 1795. In 1833 a division split
	the congregation into the Bryant Church and the First African Baptist. The present
	structure of the First African Baptist Church at Franklin Square was erected in 1859.
	Scope and Content: .25 linear ft., (1871-1981)
	The records in this collection consists of articles and clippings re First African Baptist
	Church in Savannah Georgia. Also contains photocopied minutes from Zion Baptist
	Association meetings (1871, 1872, 1874) held at First African Baptist as well as their
	rule book and constitution (1921). Of note is a booklet (1981) re an academic
	conference titled, "The Black Church in Savannah," discussing the impact of the black
	church on the Savannah community.
		Box #/
I.	Historical information	Folder #
1	Photocopy of brief histories of the First African Baptist Church by Bob Lee, Wanda	1-1
	Yancey and Lawrence McKinney; also contains brochures re the church and its museum
	as well as a calendar with biographical information of the pastors.
II.	Administration/Organizational records
1	Photocopies of the "Minutes of the Annual Sessions of the Zion Baptist Associations,"	1-2
	(1871, 1872 and 1874) contains information re black churches throughout the Savannah
	area.
2	Pamphlet (1921) "Constitution and Rules of Order of the First African Baptist	1-3
	Church," describes the rules and by-laws of the church.
III.	Contemporary items/Miscellaneous
1	Anniversary program (1981) of First African Baptist church includes list of officers,	1-4
	members and various church organizations; also church and NAACP donation
	envelopes (ca.1940s).
2	Booklet of essays delivered at a conference held at the First African Baptist Church	1-5
	titled, "The Impact of the Black Church on the Educational and Cultural Lifestyles of
	Local Communities in Savannah, Georgia," with topics on the history of the First African
	Baptist, black education in Savannah, Catholicism among the black community, black
	women in the church, etc. Churches discussed at the conference include West Broad
	Street Seventh Day Adventist, St. Philip AME, First Congregational, Tremont Temple
	Baptist, Asbury United Methodist, Butler Presbyterian and Beth-Eden Baptist.