Why you should experience First African Baptist Church in Savannah, Georgia.
First African Baptist Church in Savannah is a living monument to faith, endurance, and the indomitable spirit of a people who refused to be silenced.
Set along Franklin Square in the city's Historic District, this brick sanctuary holds the distinction of being one of the oldest continuously active Black churches in North America, founded in 1777 by enslaved and free Africans led by Reverend George Leile. Walking through its doors feels like stepping into the heartbeat of American history, where every pew, window, and beam tells a story of liberation and perseverance. Sunlight streams through stained glass that glows with quiet reverence, illuminating the original wooden pews carved by hand and etched with African tribal markings, tangible links to the congregants' roots. The air carries a sense of resilience that transcends centuries, as if the walls themselves remember the hymns sung by those who built them. First African Baptist Church is more than a sacred site, it's a symbol of cultural memory and survival, a living testament to how faith and freedom intertwined in the earliest struggles for equality.
What you didn’t know about First African Baptist Church.
The story of First African Baptist Church is one of divine defiance, a chronicle of courage forged in the fires of oppression and hope.
Founded in the late 18th century, the church traces its roots to George Leile, a man who became the first ordained African American Baptist minister in America before the Revolutionary War. His vision was carried forward by Andrew Bryan, an enslaved man who gathered worshippers along the Savannah River even under threat of punishment. Despite brutal opposition, Bryan purchased his freedom and the land for the church, establishing what would become the cornerstone of Black faith in the South. The current building, completed in 1859, was constructed by the hands of the congregation's members, many of whom were still enslaved, after working long days on plantations. The building's very foundation speaks in code: beneath its sanctuary lies an intricate substructure of holes cut into the wood in the shape of African prayer symbols, believed to have served as air holes for those seeking refuge on the Underground Railroad. The church became both sanctuary and signal, a sacred shelter for freedom seekers traveling north under cover of night. Every detail holds meaning: the ceiling, painted sky-blue with golden stars, represents the heavens guiding their journey; the pulpit, carved from a single tree, reflects unity; and the original baptismal pool remains preserved beneath the floorboards, a testament to generations who found redemption through faith and water. Even during the Civil Rights Movement, the church continued to serve as a gathering place for leadership and action. Presidents, preachers, and pilgrims alike have walked through its doors, but the spirit that fills the space has never changed, one of unwavering hope and divine resilience.
How to fold First African Baptist Church into your trip.
To visit First African Baptist Church is to stand in the crossroads of history and faith, a place where the echoes of the past still call out to the present.
Begin your visit by joining one of the daily guided tours, led by passionate historians who bring the church's story to life with detail and reverence. You'll hear how enslaved artisans built the sanctuary brick by brick, how coded messages in the architecture carried meaning, and how the church became both a religious and social pillar for Savannah's African American community. As you explore, take time to sit in the original pews, many still bearing the carvings left by their makers, and gaze up at the star-studded ceiling that has watched over centuries of worship. Don't miss the downstairs level, where guides reveal the passages that once aided those escaping slavery. Outside, pause on the steps facing Franklin Square, where the sound of the city contrasts the stillness within. It's a powerful moment, to realize that what began as a whisper of faith has become a voice of endurance heard around the world. Pair your visit with a walk through the nearby African American Monument along River Street or the Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum for deeper context into Savannah's enduring Black heritage. Whether you're guided by faith, history, or curiosity, First African Baptist Church offers something rare: a living connection to the human spirit's ability to overcome. Standing within its walls, you don't just witness history, you feel it breathe.
Hear it from the Foresyte community.
“A church that holds stories in its walls. The pews creak like they're trying to testify too.”
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