Antioch Church of Christ
Midway, Madison County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Believed to be among the oldest independent African American churches in Texas, this congregation was established on the Hayes Plantation and named Antioch after a biblical passage. The church moved from the plantation in 1865 and relocated in Midway, where trustees acquired property. The church building also served as a school until a bungalow schoolhouse was erected in 1915. In 1917 a second Church of Christ was formed in the area. The two congregations merged in 1924 and the school was replaced as a Rosenwald School the next year. New church structures were erected in 1937 and again in 1990. The active congregation continues to serve the community with a variety of outreach and worship programs. (1999)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Antioch Church of Christ traces its roots to a congregation formed on the Hayes Plantation and named for the biblical city of Antioch, making it among the oldest independent Black churches in Texas. After emancipation the church moved to Midway in 1865, where its building doubled as a school until a dedicated schoolhouse—later a Rosenwald School—was built. Through mergers and rebuildings across the twentieth century, the congregation has remained an active center of worship and outreach.
Why it matters
It shows how the independent Black church became the cornerstone of African American life after slavery, serving at once as sanctuary, schoolhouse, and community institution.
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Related events
- · Rosenwald School program
Themes & tags
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