Second Baptist Church

Second Baptist Church is a Michigan historical marker in Detroit, Wayne County, dedicated 2025.

Wayne County · dedicated 2025 · 441 Monroe St., Detroit

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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.

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Marker data: Michigan History Center
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On the National Register nearby

Second Baptist Church Of Detroit90 ft
Greektown Historic District220 ft

Places within about 300 feet of this marker that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A nearby listing is not always the marker's own subject.