Second Baptist Church

In 1836, thirteen free Black people living in Detroit, some of whom were formerly enslaved, founded Second Baptist Church. It is the oldest Black congregation in Michigan. From its beginnings, the church has occupied a prominent place in Detroit’s Black community. It established the city’s first school for Black children in 1839. Its first pastor, the Reverend William C. Monroe, was an antislavery activist. He presided over the first State Convention of Colored Citizens. Meeting at Second Baptist Church in 1843, it demanded the right to vote and an end to slavery. On January 6, 1863, Detroit’s Black citizens gathered here at this church to hear the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation. Located at this site since 1857, the congregation has expanded its facilities through the years.