Black Churches of Capitol Hill (Nashville)

The Legacy of Nashville's Black Churches

The historical marker honoring the six Black churches in Nashville—First Baptist Church, Capitol Hill (1848), Gay Street Christian Church (1859), Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church (1887), St.Andrews Presbyterian Church (1898), St. John AME Church (1863), and Spruce Street Baptist Church (1848)— recognizes their essential role in the city’s African American community. These Churches once all stood within ⅙ the of a mile of each other, at the heart of Nashville’s Black business district, until the Capitol Hill Redevelopment Program of the 1950s forced most of them to relocate. Despite this, five of the six churches continue to serve their communities, preserving a legacy of faith, religiosity, and activism. Many of these congregations trace their roots to the pre-Civil War era when African American worshippers, often excluded from white churches, were forced to form their own religious worship spaces.   Several began as mission churches or Sunday school classes affiliated with white congregations before gaining their independence to practice. By 1910, each had grown into a thriving institutional with membership in the thousands, functioning as both houses of worship and educational and social hubs.

Significance and Common Threads Among the Churches

Despite their individual histories, these churches share common themes that highlight their collective significance. Each would emerge as a response to racial segregation, allowing African American congregants with a personalized space for worship and community support. They also became important platforms for the Civil Rights efforts and the establishment of civil rights, allowing African American participants to organize and rally. These churches offered economic development and civic leadership. While the forced relocations in the 1950s displaced many church members, the congregations persevered and stand strong today as a testament to their resilience and enduring impact on the city’s African American culture and history.

First Baptist Church, Capitol Hill (1848)

Early Religious Beginnings (1780-1820)

In 1780, around 200 enslaved and free African Americans settled in Nashville's Fort Nashborough, planting the early seeds of Nashville's soon-to-be lively Afro-Baptist community.  By 1787, these African Americans constituted 22% of the 477 settlers and by 1820, they grew to 35% of Davidson County’s population by 1820. While large in number, many enslaved and free African Americans were limited from religious participation. In the biracial Baptist and Methodist churches, they were allowed to restrictedly attend, and many were forced to sit far away from white attendees and take communion last.

Formation of the First Baptist Church and the Early Black Congregation (1824-1852)

The First Baptist Church of Nashville (FBCN) was established in 1824 as the fist Baptist Church in the city. By 1834, African American attendants were 115 in number, accounting for nearly half of the congregation. The First Baptist Church, Capitol Hill claims to be the oldest operating African American Church in Tennessee, tracing its roots to the 1835 established First Baptist Colored Mission. Before this, Nashville enslaved and free Baptists worshipped at the First Baptist Church.

The church leadership was stern in its emphasis on obedience to their enslavers, further reinforcing the racial hierarchies that plagued the South.   Incrementally though, African American congregants were able to practice within their self-curated worship groups. By 1835 they were allowed to lead separate prayer services and by 1847, they were allowed to rent old school buildings to worship on Sundays.

First Colored Baptist Mission and Expansion (1848-1856)

In 1848, the First Colored Baptist Mission (FCBM) was established under the supervision of a white minister who received aid from freed Black preachers such as John Dodd, Nelson G. Merry, and Henry Howard. Nelson G. Merry— a former slave tutored by white ministers— becomes ordained as a minister in the Baptist Church on November 29 of 1853. However, white ministers still have authoritative oversight on church services.

First Baptist Church after renovations (1848)

Civil War Era (1856-1865)

The growing African American Baptist Congregation faced many difficulties: a race riot in December of 1856 and restrictive city ordinances in 1857  limited congregants’s ability to gather and attend church. Eventually, the Union Army occupied Nashville in February 1862, leading to the imprisonment of Minister Merry.

The Baptist Church was still active during the wartime efforts. The Congregation held prayer meeting celebrating the Emancipation Proclamation (1863) and Tennessee’s abolition of slavery (1865).

Post-Emancipation Growth and Institutional Development (1865-1895)

On August 13, 1865, the First Colored Baptist Church (FCBC) obtained its independence from First Baptist Church . The congregation, which now numbered at 500, was still led under Minister Nelson G. Merry and would be under his leadership until his death in 1884. By 1872, the FCBC had grown to over 3,000 members and constructed its edifice on Spruce Street.

After Minister Merry’s death in 1884, many inter-congregation tensions led to factions emerging within the Spruce Street Baptist Church.

Urban Renewal and the Church’s Legacy (1972-Present)

In 1972, multiple urban renewal projects displaced many of Nashville’s historic Black churches, forcing FBCCH to relocate from its 1865 building to 900 James Robertson Parkway. While Rev. Smith passed away in 1984 and the congregation continued to face rocky leadership transitions and internal factions, the congregation remained committed to its mission of worship and community.

On June 1, 2024, the church welcomed its 21st pastor, the Rev. Shane B. Scott. His induction included an address from Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell, who spoke about the church’s turbulent yet resilient legacy and its role in unifying the African American community. The ceremony also included a performance by the choir and the Deacon Sunny Owunnah presenting the new Rev. with a pastor to commemorate new beginnings.

Today, the First Baptist Church, Capitol Hill continues to uphold its legacy as a cornerstone of Nashville’s African American Baptist community . The church meets at 625 Rosa L. Parks Boulevard, across from the Tennessee State Capitol Building, with a congregation of around 600 members.

Gay Street Christian Church (1859)

Origins and Early Development (1855 - 1891)

The Gay Street Christian Church, originally known as the “Colored Christian Church” was founded in 1855 as the African American congregation of the Vine Street First Christian Church. Before the Civil War, both enslaved and free African Americans attended church services alongside white congregants, although they remained segregated during certain religious practices such as communion. By 1849, the Vine Street congregation included 546 members and approximately half identified as “Colored”.

In 1859, a large Christian Sunday school with about 200 students, led by Peter Lowery, was officially constituted as an independent Christian congregation. Initially known as Grapevine Christian Church, this group met in West Nashville on land that was owned by General William G. Harding. The congregation moved multiple times, first to Seventh Avenue South in a brick house owned by Peter Lowery and later to the corner of Vine and Crawford Avenues, where it became known as the Second Christian Church. Eventually, the congregation relocated to Gay Street and was renamed Gay Street Christian Church

Preston Taylor’s Leadership and Church Schism (1884-1891)

Preston Taylor (1849-1931)

Preston Taylor, a prominent African American religious leader and businessman, arrived in Nashville in 1884, where he quickly rose to prominence in the church and Black business community. He was born into slavery in 1849 in Shreveport, Louisiana, and served as a drummer boy in the Union Army during the Civil War before moving north and settling in Nashville. While a minister, Taylor also worked as a successful entrepreneur, establishing the Taylor Funeral Company in 1888 and founding the Greenwood Cemetery, one of Nashville’s oldest Black cemeteries.

Taylor was appointed the minister of Gay Street Christian Church, where he led the congregation through a bustling period of growth.

Formation of Gay-Lea Christian Church and the Legacy (1931-present)

Following Taylor’s passing in 1931, the two separate congregations — the original Gay Street Christian Church and Taylor’s breakaway congregation— reunited to form Gay-Lea Christian Church. This newly unified Church later became known as the New Covenant Christian Church, signifying its necessary evolution to serve Nashville’s African American religious community. The church relocated to Osage Street, where it continues to serve as a spiritual and historical cornerstone. The histories of Gay Street Church and later Gay-Lea Christian Church reflect the broader struggles and triumphs of Nashville’s African American Christian community.

Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church (1887)

Origins and Early Development (1847-1865)

The Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church in Nashville, Tennessee has origins in the historic First Colored Baptist Church (1865-1891) which emerged from the African American members of the First Baptist Church, founded in 1824. Before the establishment of the independent Black congregations, enslaved and free African American worshippers attended First Baptist Church, but were often forced to sit separately and take communion last. By 1835, African American members were permitted to hold their own, separate prayer services, which laid the foundation for the future establishment of the First Colored Baptist Mission in 1841.

By 1847, former slave Nelson G. Merry was ordained as the pastor and by 1856, the congregation had grown to 200 members despite facing racial tensions in the city of Nashville. When slavery was abolished in 1865, First Baptist Church granted its African American members the right to form their own independent congregation, which became the First Colored Baptist Church under the leadership of Rev. Merry, with an initial membership of 500.

Formation of Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church (1884-1887)

Following the death of Rev. Merry in 1884, the congregation faced many tensions and factional disputes within the First Colored Baptist Church, mainly having to do with the temperance movement. Under Rev. Tom R. Huffman’s leadership, a group of dissident members split from the church in 1887, forming the Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church.   While the congregation initially lacked a permanent place of worship and held services in temporary locations, they initiated a building campaign which led to the use of a basement worship space at 908 Cedar Street. When Rev. Huffman passed away, Rev. Charles H. Clark was elected as pastor and administrated the construction of a 1,200-seat church building above the basement, which officially charted the church in 1897.

St. Andrews Presbyterian Church (1898)

Origins

The St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, historically known as the Old First Presbyterian Church, is a religious and architectural landmark in Nashville, Tennessee. It was designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL) on April 19, 1993.

History

The congregation of St.Andrews Presbyterian Church was first unofficially established in 1816. The first church building was destroyed by a fire in 1832 and the second building to replace that first one was also consumed by a fire, leading to the construction of the present-day sanctuary, which was completed in 1849. The church originally operated under the name of First Presbyterian Church but it underwent a name change to Downtown Presbyterian Church in 1955 after the congregation of First Presbyterian Church moved out of downtown Nashville. Despite these name and building changes, the church has consistently and steadfastly remained an important figure in Nashville’s religious legacy. Throughout its history the St.Andrews Presbyterian Church has been associated with many historical events and figures. For example, President Andrew Jackson was a member of the congregation and was presented with a sword there following his victory at the Battle of New Orleans. Additionally, Tennessee Governor James K. Polk was also inaugurated in the second church building. During the American Civil War, the church was seized by Union forces and converted into a military hospital known as the Union Hospital No.8, housing 206 beds. In the 1920s, the church served as a refuge for Nashville’s citizens during severe flooding and during World War II, it provided shelter for soldiers.

Architectural Significance

St. Andrews Presbyterian Church is one of the few surviving examples of Egyptian Revival architecture in the United States. It was designed by William Strickland, a 19th century architect that was also responsible for designing the Tennessee State Capitol.

The exterior features include Egyptian-style lotus columns and a winged sun disk. The interior contains intricately stained glass windows and murals depicting Egyptian characters. These design choices were inspired by the plenty of archeological discoveries in Egypt that were widely reported in the Western media during the 19th century.

St. John AME Church (1863)

Origins

The African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church was founded in 1787 in response to the racial discrimination present in Philadelphia churches. Richard Allen, Absalom Jones, and other former St. George’s Methodist Episcopal Church members established the Free African Society, which later evolved into the AME Church, dedicated to spiritual outreach efforts. In 1794, Allen transformed a blacksmith shop into Bethel Church, the first AME church.

St.John AME Church Founding and Growth

During the Civil War, the AME Church expanded into Tennessee. In 1863, Napoleon Merry, a free Black man, led a group dissatisfied with the Capers Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church to join the AME Church. Once their application was accepted, St.John AME Church was founded with Merry as its first pastor. The congregation worshipped initially at Rosa Parks and Gay Street, then relocated to 1822 Formosa Street.

St.John AME Church had 42 pastors, with tenures ranging from months to over a decade. Due to the AME Church’s system of annually assigned Itinerant Elders, long-term pastorates are very rare. Each leader, whether by facilitating mortgage payments, purchasing parsonages, or aiding in children’s workshops, has left their personal mark on the church. Currently, Rev. Lisa Hammonds serves as the first female pastor of St.John, continuing its legacy of leadership and outreach.

The work of the St.John AME Church expands beyond the church walls. The Church actively supports the local community, regularly hosting programs such as a van ministry, homeless outreach, and community breakfasts. A more recent initiative includes the “Blessing Box” where nonperishable food items are available for taking for those in need. These efforts reflect the church’s mission of service and aid.

Spruce Street Baptist Church (1848)

Spruce Street Baptist Church (1848-1891)

Spruce Street Baptist Church was founded in 1835 by Black members of Nashville’s First colored Baptist Church who sought the freedom to worship independently. At the time, Black congregants attended services under white leadership, but growing racial divisions and a desire for self-governance led them to establish their own church. The challenges of forming a separate Black congregation were significant, as strict regulations in the pre-Civil War South limited when and where African Americans could gather for religious services. Despite these obstacles, the church’s founders remained committed to creating a spiritual home where Black worshippers could practice their faith without external control. Their efforts laid the groundwork for one of Tennessee’s earliest Black Baptist churches, ensuring a lasting religious and community presence in Nashville.