It is home to one of the oldest African-American congregations in the state, first organized in 1845.

This was a bold move, because slaves were thought of as chattel, and were bought and sold at will.

God blessed the congregation to grow and gave them another miracle, a new building on the corner of Seventh and Gaines Street.

In April 1963, four months to the day of the famous "I have a dream" speech, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave the 118th anniversary sermon.

In 1990, only months before announcing his presidential aspirations, then-Governor Bill Clinton gave a rousing 145th church anniversary address.