“Springfield Baptist Church, located at 114 12th St., was officially organized in 1787, though its congregation is believed to date to 1773. The current building was dedicated in 1910.” Taken by The Augusta Chronicle staff

I just want to give a shout out to Springfield Baptist Church in Augusta, Georgia which is celebrating its 225th anniversary today! This church, which was officially founded in 1787 according to an article written by Kelly Jasper of The Augusta Chronicle  has a rich history…Here are a few excerpts from the article…

• The church was officially organized in 1787, though its congregation is believed to date to 1773, two years before the American Revolution. The Rev. Jesse Peters Galphin, a slave whose master allowed him to receive training as a minister, was the first pastor.
• Morehouse got its start in the basement of Springfield as the Augusta Baptist Institute in 1867. The school quickly outgrew the church. In 1879, it moved to Atlanta as the Atlanta Baptist Institute and was subsequently renamed Morehouse College, an institution that has produced several prominent black leaders, including King.
  

  taken by The Augusta Chronicle staff

• The historical marker outside the old sanctuary calls Springfield a church that “helped bridge the transition between slavery and free citizenship” and “the major landmark remaining from the early free-black community of Springfield.”

The Rev. Al Sharpton of the National Action Network will speak at 3 p.m. today…

Below is some video from the church (also from The Augusta Chronicle)

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