Continually Serving an Unchanging Christ in an Ever-changing World
Detroit, MI, February 27, 2016: Second Baptist Church of Detroit, 441 Monroe, celebrates its 180th Anniversary with several events.
• Sunday, March 13, 2016, 10:30 a.m. Heritage Sunday worship service Guest Speaker: Frank (Ebow) Vroom, Ghanian born member of Second
• Sunday, March 13, 2016, 3 p.m. Heritage Sunday Gospel Concert
• Sunday, March 20, 2016, 10:30 a.m. 180th Anniversary Sunday Worship Service, Pastor Kevin M. Turman, preaching
• Sunday, March 20, 2016, 2 p.m. 180th Anniversary Dinner at the Roostertail, 100 Marquette, Guest Speaker: Rev. Theodore T. Turman, Pastor, First Baptist Church of Detroit, Tickets $75
March 23, 1836, 13 blacks received permission from the Territorial Legislature to own and operate a church, the Society of Second Baptist Church of Detroit. Second Baptist Church of Detroit first met in members’ homes and then located on Fort Street between Beaubien and St. Antoine Streets. In December, 1856 Second Baptist purchased the property where it now stands, formerly owned by the Gernan Reformed Presbyterian Society, at 441 Monroe Street (formerly Croghan) between Beaubien and Brush in Detroit, MI. Second Baptist was the seventh major church in the City and the first in the Midwest operated by blacks.
Baptists from New York and New England living in Detroit organized the First Baptist congregation, one of the first Protestant churches in Detroit with the Reverend Henry Davis as their minister on October 20, 1827. The original church was erected in 1831 at the corner of Fort and Griswold. In 1910, First Baptist built a structure at 8601 Woodward and in 1957 moved to Southfield constructing a new church in 1965.
The First Baptist Church has always been a diverse congregation and in 1836, it is estimated that 11 of its 100 members were black. Some of these black members requested an end to segregated seating which was the custom of that era. When the request was denied these members withdrew from First Baptist and became the founding members of Second Baptist Church. Today these two churches are more closely united than ever as on October 19, 2014 Rev. Theodore T. Turman was installed as pastor of First Baptist Church of Detroit. The installation sermon was preached by his father, Rev. Dr. Kevin M. Turman, Pastor of Second Baptist Church.