First Bryan Baptist Church, Savannah

First Bryan Baptist Church traces its roots to 1784 and is recognized as the oldest continuously active African American Baptist church in the United States. Its early congregation emerged from the ministry of George Leile, one of America’s first ordained Black Baptist preachers, and was later led by Andrew Bryan.

Bryan, who was born into slavery in Savannah, formally organized the congregation in 1788. Preaching was dangerous at the time, as white authorities often regarded gatherings of enslaved people as a possible threat of uprising. Despite being repeatedly arrested, imprisoned, and beaten, Bryan continued holding services and guiding his congregation.

In 1793, he purchased both his freedom and the land on which the church stands today, paying 30 pounds for a site that had once formed part of an indigenous Yamacraw settlement. The congregation completed its first church building here two years later.

The present structure was designed by Savannah architect John B. Hogg. Construction began in 1873, after the earlier church was demolished, and continued until 1888. Inside, look for the stained-glass windows portraying important figures from the congregation’s history, including its first pastor, Andrew Bryan.

Bryan himself continued preaching here until his death, leaving behind a congregation that endured slavery, segregation, and generations of social change. First Bryan Baptist Church remains an active place of worship today and an important landmark in Savannah’s African American religious history.