First Baptist Church, Norfolk

First Baptist Church of Norfolk started in 1800, when white worshippers, free Black individuals, and enslaved people came together as one congregation, marking the birth of the city’s oldest Baptist community. Constructed in 1906, the present church was designed by renowned architect R. H. Hunt in the robust Romanesque Revival style.

Its exterior commands attention with its rough-faced pink granite ashlar and smooth limestone trim, featuring an eight-level corner tower contrasted by a shorter counterpart, and a monumental round-arch stained glass window at its center. It became a symbol of empowerment and community for Norfolk’s Black citizens, built at a time of growing economic strength among the city’s African-American population.

In 1958, it opened its doors to tutor “The Norfolk Seventeen”-students pursuing desegregated education. Under the leadership of the Rev. Dr. Robert G. Murray, appointed in 1983, the church expanded its ministries to include services for youth, families, military personnel, and essential resources.