Stewart Memorial Church, Hamilton

Stewart Memorial Church traces its roots to 1835, when Black residents gathered for worship after arriving through the Underground Railroad. Formally organized in 1848, it is the oldest surviving predominantly Black congregation in the city. Abolitionist Josiah Henson served as its first pastor, linking the church to the anti-slavery movement.

In 1879, a fire destroyed the earlier meeting place on Rebecca Street. The congregation moved to its current site and bought an 1848 clapboard building for $2,500. Around 1905, it was remodelled in the Gothic Revival style, with the original wood-frame structure encased in brick. Pointed-arch windows, red brick walls, and a square tower define the exterior today. The church became an Ontario Heritage Site in 1994.

Inside, the church keeps its small scale, with pressed tin ceilings and curved wooden pews. Renamed in 1937 to honour Reverend Claude A. Stewart, it remained active during the Great Depression under John Christie Holland. Notable members include Lincoln Alexander and Ray Lewis. Services continue, and the choir still sings plantation spirituals brought north by the first members.