First Baptist Church

First Baptist Church

First Baptist Church was originally created for the growing Farmville population. However, after a while, First Baptist Church became the home for many of Farmville’s African American population during segregation. First Baptist would play an important role in the Civil Rights movement. Also, during the Civil Rights Movement, Martin Luther King visiting the church.

When First Baptist Church was being designed from 1855-1895, it was modeled after the late gothic revival. First Baptist was created due to the influx of growing Farmville due to the fact Farmville Baptist couldn’t supply the space to hold everyone. In fact, Farmville Baptist was originally named First Baptist till 1895. First Baptist Church during the rise of segregation in Farmville would become a safehold for many African Americans. First Baptist would become a staple in the community as it would be a place of planning for actions to protest segregation in Farmville.

During the Civil Rights movement, Reverend L. Francis Griffin was a leading voice of racial equality in Farmville. According to historians, during the moton high school protest, Griffin played an important role in guiding the students in further ways to fight injustice. In fact, the Moton High School protest, Griffin got the protest heard. As stated from historians who viewed this some mentioned, "the student leaders sought guidance from Griffin, who connected them with NAACP attorneys in Richmond." Later Griffin would make an appeal to the supreme court about the inequality faced by black students becoming an active voice of Civil rights. From an oral account from Griffin to the supreme court he mentions, ”that it would not and would not support and maintain any schools in which Negro and white children were educated together in the light of the fourth coming Court decree they would be required to do.” First Baptist would later become the site in which Martin Luther King would address racial equality on the footsteps of the church.

Sources:

Lee, Brian E., and Brian J. Daugherity. "Program of action: The Rev. L. Francis Griffin and the struggle for racial equality in Farmville, 1963." Virginia Magazine of History and Biography 121, no. 3 (2013): 250.

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

Pictures courtesy of Farmville First Baptist Church and VCU Freedom Now Project