Glenville in Cleveland in Cuyahoga County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
The Greater Abyssinia Baptist Church
Photographed by Craig Doda, March 7, 2026
1. The Greater Abyssinia Baptist Church Marker
The Greater Abyssinia Baptist Church (GABC) organized with 250 members on December 16, 1945, at a Phillis Wheatley Association meeting. Led by its first pastor, Rev. John Rollins Plummer, the congregation raised $47,000 to purchase the Jewish Synagogue at East 105th Street and Tacoma Avenue from the Beth Hamedrosh Hagodel Beth Israel Congregation in 1946. It later purchased a parsonage, land for parking and created a Federal Credit Union. Tragically, Rev. Plummer was killed in a car accident on October 22, 1951. The church's lower auditorium was remodeled and dedicated as J.R. Plummer Memorial Hall. Honoring its missionary and pastoral care foundations, the church built a $3M senior citizens complex nearby. An endowment fund, instituted by its pastor's savings in 1995, ensures that this commitment to civic leadership endures.
Erected 2023 by Cleveland Restoration Society; Ohio History Connection. (Marker Number 155-18.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Religion & Religious Structures. In addition, it is included in the Ohio Historical Society / The Ohio History Connection
this page online
Location. 41° 31.534′ N, 81° 36.922′ W. Marker is in Cleveland, Ohio, in Cuyahoga County. It is in Glenville. It is at the intersection of East 105th Street and Tacoma Avenue, on the right when traveling north on East 105th Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1141 E 105th St, Cleveland OH 44108, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on Ohio’s Lake Erie Shore and in the Western Reserve. It is also in the American Midwest and on the Great Lakes. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Cory United Methodist Church / Host to Civil Rights Leaders (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); James Mercer Langston Hughes (approx. 0.3 miles away); Connections (approx. half a mile away);
Photographed by Craig Doda, March 7, 2026
2. The Greater Abyssinia Baptist Church Marker
Photographed by Craig Doda, March 7, 2026
3. The Greater Abyssinia Baptist Church Marker
Photographed by Craig Doda, March 7, 2026
4. The Greater Abyssinia Baptist Church Marker
Photographed by Craig Doda, March 7, 2026
5. The Greater Abyssinia Baptist Church Marker
Photographed by Craig Doda, March 7, 2026
6. The Greater Abyssinia Baptist Church Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on March 22, 2026. It was originally submitted on March 22, 2026, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 11 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on March 22, 2026, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
