Broyles Chapel Missionary Baptist Church
Riverside, Walker County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Following the Civil War, many African Americans sought refuge, identity and spirituality through the organization of churches. According to oral tradition, a church site for the African American community was donated by James Broyles, a businessman and contractor at the local mine. A church building was erected and named after its benefactor. The doors of the church opened in 1895 under the leadership of Reverend Nemon. Broyles Chapel Missionary Baptist Church was the first African American church in Riverside and is a reminder of the struggle and determination of our ancestors. The church congregation remains active in the community.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
After the Civil War, freed people around Riverside gathered to build a church of their own, and mine contractor James Broyles donated a site that took his name. Broyles Chapel Missionary Baptist Church opened its doors in 1895 under Reverend Nemon as the first African-American congregation in Riverside. It endures as a living reminder of the determination that carried a community from bondage into self-governed worship.
Why it matters
It embodies the freedpeople's drive to claim spiritual and communal independence in the generation after emancipation.
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Related people
- · James Broyles
- · Reverend Nemon
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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