South Elyton Baptist Church

South Elyton Baptist Church. Jefferson County. , Former members of Broad Street Baptist of Elyton organized South Elyton Baptist Church in November 1914, and named it for its location south of the AGS railroad, distinguishing the community from Old Elyton Architect and neighbor Wallace Rayfield designed a brick church, with construction underway when the Depression hit in 1929. All work stopped until the 1940s, and it was completed on November 16, 1947 It was added to the Library of Congress Historic American Buildings Survey collection in 1995 the building was demolished in 2005 for construction of the walk-in family life facility., In 1936. a Works Progress Administration surveyor described South Elyton Baptist Church as an "Unusually Active People." From the beginning, the church acted as a watchtower for community civic engagement. supporting the fight for basic city services and amenities in Jim Crow-era Birmingham. It served as a primary meeting place for the South Elyton Civic League, formed during World War I. Church members held key positions in the League and provided leadership for voter education, the creation and expansion of Titusville's Colored Memorial Park, and desegregation of public facilities.