Blackjack Baptist Church

Front: This congregation was founded around 1870, mainly by Black former slaves of members of nearby Fairfield Baptist Church. They acquired this site in 1873 as their first formal place of worship. This was previously the site of the old Fairfield church where early Blackjack members worshipped while enslaved. Some 1800s maps identify the Fairfield church as Black Jack Meeting House. Reverse: The name “Blackjack” was likely inspired by the abundance of blackjack oak trees in the nearby area. Upon organizing, Blackjack Baptist Church was part of Gethsemane Baptist Association, Upper Division. Graves in the church cemetery date as early as 1871. The current church building dates to 1935. It was brick-veneered in 1953, and an education wing was added several years later.