Yamacraw Village in Savannah in Chatham County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)

First Bryan Baptist Church

Constituted 1788

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, June 12, 2022

1. First Bryan Baptist Church Marker

Inscription. First Bryan dates its founding to the constitution of the Ethiopian Church of Jesus Christ under Rev. Andrew Bryan in January 1788, making it one of the nation's oldest African-American Baptist churches. Known later as First Colored Church, First African, and Third African, the congregation took the name First Bryan Baptist in 1867. Construction of the first church building began here in 1793 on property purchased by Reverend Bryan. The current building was completed in 1874. First Bryan ministers including Garrison Frazier and Ulysses Houston attended the nearby meeting of local black leaders with Gen. Sherman in January 1865 that resulted in Special Field Orders No. 15, promising confiscated coastal land to freed slaves. In the twentieth century, Civil Rights leader W. W. Law taught Sunday School at First Bryan for many years.

Erected 2014 by Georgia Historical Society • First Bryan Baptist Church. (Marker Number 25-47.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Religion & Religious Structures • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Georgia Historical Society series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1788.

Location. 32° 4.93′ N, 81° 5.933′ W.

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Marker is in Savannah, Georgia, in Chatham County. It is in Yamacraw Village. It is on West Bryan Street west of Ann Street, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 575 W Bryan St, Savannah GA 31401, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Coastal Plain and on the Georgia Coast and the Golden Isles.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Deep South.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Andrew Bryan (a few steps from this marker); Birthplace of John C. Frémont (within shouting distance of this marker); William Scarbrough House (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); The First African Baptist Church (approx. 0.2 miles away); a different marker also named First African Baptist Church (approx. 0.2 miles away); John Ryan's Excelsior Bottle Works (approx. 0.2 miles away); Haitian Monument (approx. 0.2 miles away); Jonathan Bryan (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Savannah.

Also see . . .
1. Our History. Rev. George Leile, a slave who became the first black Baptist missionary in America, traveled among Georgia plantations preaching to other slaves. On one of his visits to Brampton, a plantation owned by Mr. Jonathan Bryan, four slaves became converted, were baptized and later became the nucleus of the first black missionary Baptist church. These slaves were Andrew Bryan, his wife Hannah, Kate Hogg and Hagar Simpson. (First Bryan Baptist Church) (Submitted on June 18, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, June 12, 2022

2. First Bryan Baptist Church Marker

2. This Savannah Congregation is Older Than the United States. By the time Lord Cornwallis surrendered to Washington at Yorktown in 1783 and the United States of America celebrated the end of its war for independence, this historically black congregation in Savannah was already ten years old.(By Summer Bozeman, Visit Savannah) (Submitted on June 18, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

3. First Bryan Baptist Church. Wikipedia entry on the historic church, considered to be the Mother Church of Black Baptists. (Submitted on June 18, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Credits. This page was last revised on February 8, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 18, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 322 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 18, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.