Farmville Baptist Church

Farmville Baptist Church

In the past, Farmville Baptist church was integrated holding both black and white residents during Sunday services. Not until the 1950s did the elite influence the community to segregate. Due to this, Farmville Baptist began to segregate, but after the civil rights movement, it would integrate again.

Farmville has played a significant part in the civil rights movement, but its important to figure out how this started. In the past Farmville use to not be segregated in the past. However, the campaign to segregate would start in the 1950s. It began because many of the influential business owners wanted to segregate. The reason for this is because many of the influential people didn’t want their kids to integrate with African Americans because they saw them inferior. Since these businessmen controlled the town economically, they got their way. In 1963 many of those businesses would witness protest. The affair would gain recognition across Virginia. On July 9th, a reporter from the Richmond Times-Dispatch informed his readers that black protestors had attempted two sit-ins.” What makes this situation so unique is that the wealthy which represented a small minority, rather than the majority community wanted to segregate Farmville.

Due to overpopulation the town of Farmville built First Baptist church for the African American population. Once segregation was introduced to Farmville, many white residents protest blacks going to white churches. Due to this, Farmville Baptist remains a white church and the African American population move to First Baptist Church. The subject of segregation was so serious that it was brought up in the supreme court. The argument goes as follows, “On September the 7th, it was clear when the counsel appeared in Court that no plans had been made, that no plans would be made and that the schools would not be opened.” As of now, Farmville Baptist has changed. Farmville Baptist works with various Baptist churches in the Farmville area including First Baptist. The Church now is no longer segregated and allows anyone.

Sources:

Titus, Jill Ogline. "Farmville, 1963: The Long Hot Summer." The Educational Lockout of African Americans in Prince Edward County, Virginia (1959-1964): Personal Accounts and Reflections (2010): 33

Griffin v. School Board of Prince Edward County.” Oyez.

Modern picture courtesy of the Farmville Baptist Church

Artist's rendering by Brady Davis (Held by Greenwood Library of Longwood University)