First Baptist Church (Colored)
Clinton & High Streets • Frankfort, Kentucky
Source Article: "The Colored Churches of Frankfort" by Dr. E. E. Underwood
Publication: The State Journal (Frankfort, KY) • Saturday, October 3, 1936
Transcribed By: Anne Holder Lee
Church Organization & Property History
First Baptist Church (Colored) was organized in 1833 under the leadership of its first pastor, Rev. Henderson Williams.
In its early decades, the congregation worshiped in a building on Clinton Street adjacent to the state prison walls, where they remained for over seventy years until 1904.
Land Purchase & Court of Appeals Decision (1904)
In 1904, the congregation purchased its current site to erect a new house of worship. Local opposition arose in the neighborhood, leading some area property owners to challenge the construction in the courts.
The legal dispute was eventually appealed to the Kentucky Court of Appeals, which handed down a unanimous decision upholding the congregation's constitutional rights to build their church on the site.
By 1936, the church also owned a parsonage on Clinton Street and an annex building fronting High Street, which housed congregational activities and a community library. The church celebrated its Centennial Anniversary in 1933.
Pastoral Leadership
Most ministers serving First Baptist Church (Colored) enjoyed long pastorates. Prominent early and long-serving pastors include:
| Minister Name | Role & Tenure Notes |
|---|---|
| Rev. Henderson Williams | First pastor; organized the church in 1833 |
| Rev. James Monroe | Notable long-term pastorate |
| Rev. Robert Martin | Notable long-term pastorate |
| Rev. Eugene Evans | Notable long-term pastorate |
| Rev. H. H. Bailey | Notable long-term pastorate |
| Rev. J. W. Broaddus | Serving as pastor as of 1936 (over 4 years of service) |