I. African American Churches
Origins of African American Churches in Fairfax County, Virginia
From its beginning around 1790, the Frying Pan Meeting House was integrated with the African Americans seated in the galleries. Years later events would influence the way African Americans worshiped in Virginia. The Virginia state legislature passed the 1831 Code of Virginia that restricted enslaved and freed “negroes” when worshiping.
1831 Code of Virginia
XXXIX.—AN ACT to amend the act concerning slaves, free negroes and mulattoes.
Any slave, free negro, or mulatto, who shall hereafter attend any preaching, meeting, or other assembly, held, or pretended to be held, for religious purposes, or other instruction, conducted by any slave, free negro or mulatto preacher, ordained or otherwise; and any slave who shall hereafter attend any preaching in the night time, although conducted by a white minister, without a written permission from his or her owner, overseer or master or agent of either of them, shall be punished by stripes at the discretion of any justice of the peace, not exceeding thirty-nine lashes
In August 1831, an enslaved preacher Nat Turner and his followers led a revolt in Southampton County that resulted in killing at least fifty-five white men, women, and children. Two months later Turner was captured, tried, and hanged. In response to the revolt, Virginia and other Southern states passed more laws that restricted the enslaved.
Be it further enacted That all meetings of free negroes or mulattoes, at any school- house, church, meeting-house or other place for teaching them reading or writing, either in the day or night, under whatsoever pretext, shall be deemed and considered as an unlawful assembly. . .
Be it further enacted, That if any white person or persons assemble with free negroes or mulattoes, at any school-house, church, meeting-house, or other place for the purpose of instructing such free negroes or mulattoes to read or write, such person or persons shall, on conviction thereof, be fined in a sum not exceeding fifty dollars, and moreover may be imprisoned at the discretion of a jury, not exceeding two months
After Emancipation, the newly freed men and women wished for autonomy. They established communities and built churches and schools, many times in the same building. The Laurel Grove community built their school first and their church second. Black ministers led the churches and became community leaders. Soon after the Civil War, African American churches became a place to ask for help in locating a friend or relative who a person was separated from during enslavement. Churches became a safe place to worship and actively get involved in social and political issues. Also, the church was the place to go for a “helping hand” when times were hard. The churches were the “heart” of the African American communities.
After the Civil War, legislation was passed that ended slavery in the US. The 13th amendment to the Constitution became law in 1865.
AMENDMENT XIII
Section 1.
Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.
Fairfax County’s historic African American churches are spread throughout the county. Several of them have been active for a hundred and fifty years. The following list includes a description of the organization of the church and its status today, if known.
- Repository: Remaking Virginia: Transformation Through Emancipation -Church
- virginiamemory.com
African American Church Histories in the Library of Virginia
African American Churches in Virginia (1865-1900)
- A description of the establishment of African American churches after the Civil War, their importance within the community, and the political activism of the church leadership.
- Repository: https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/african-american-churches-in-virginia1865-1900
Many churches have websites that include the history of the church. Examples:
Galloway United Methodist Church was founded in 1867 by George and Harriet Brice who wanted a church for the newly emancipated enslaved. Today, the church building located on Annandale Road is in Falls Church City while the adjacent church cemetery is in Fairfax County. Two people who are buried there include Charles Tinner and Isaac Peyton who served in the Home Guard, an interracial militia which protected residents and property from Confederate raiders.
- Repository: https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/institutions-african-americanhistory/galloway-united-methodist-church-1867/
Second Baptist Church of Falls Church was planned and organized by Elder Hiram Reed, the pastor of the First Baptist Church, a white church. The church building was used as a school during the week.
- Repository: www.sbcfallschurch.org/history
Mount Pleasant Baptist Church: 150 Years Anniversary, 1867-2017
- Freedmen were given one acre of land for religious and educational purposes and a burying ground for colored people. The first church was a one-room wooden structure built by individuals using lumber provided by the Freedmen’s Bureau.
- Repository: Fairfax County Public Libraries
New Mount Zoar Baptist Church on Braddock Road
- The church was started around 1886 by a former slave Jackson Hughes who married former slave Mariah Beckwith. Where they lived was originally called Jacksonville, then Hughesville.
- Repository: www.nmzoar.org/our-history
Cartersville Baptist Church 132 Anniversary 1863-1995
- The booklet includes the history of the church.
Mt. Pleasant Church Herndon, Virginia. The church cemetery is located on Coppermine Road in Herndon, Virginia. The original church, which was founded in 1866 by Mary Ellen Naylor Bush, Rev. Fred Cook, Rev. Louis H. Bailey, Rev. William Smith and Brother Temple Cheeks, met in the Old Floris School House. One of the church founders Temple Cheeks served during the Civil War in the US Colored Infantry. In 1882, the church relocated to Horse Pen Rd, today Coppermine Rd., on land donated by Henry Cook. Today, the church is located on Squirrel Hill Rd.
Temple Cheeks: Black American Temple Cheeks was born in Fauquier County. It is unknown whether he had been a slave. At the age of 36 and as a freed man, he enlisted in the United States Colored Troops, Co H, 22nd US Colored Infantry. He reported to the 7th Sub district in DC on October 3, 1864. Temple Cheeks served for one year as a private. After the war, he was living in Herndon, Virginia. In 1866, Temple Cheeks was one of the founders of Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church, which originally met in the old Floris School.
- Repository: Fairfax County Cemetery Preservation Association: www.honorfairfaxcemeteries.org
Bethlehem Baptist Church, Gum Springs, Virginia
- Once enslaved Samuel K. Taylor found freedom in Gum Springs where he began preaching in people's homes. In 1865, the community constructed a building which served as both church and school.
- Repository: https://www.bethlehemofalexandria.org/history/
- Text of Historical Marker: According to tradition, the earliest congregation, which would become the Bethlehem Baptist Church, was organized circa 1863 by Samuel K. Taylor, a former slave, who preached in the homes of the African-American residents of Gum Springs. Shortly after the Civil War ended the first building was used as both a house of worship and school. The cornerstone was laid for a new church in April 1884. Third and fourth edifices were built respectively in 1930 and 1993. The church grew with the African American community and continues to be an important center of religious activity in Gum Springs.
- Repository: hmdb.org
Bethlehem Baptist, Gum Springs, Virginia
- Smithsonian Institution National Museum of American History
- Repository: https://www.si.edu/object/archives/components/sova-nmah-ac-0618-s04-01-ref2502