First African Baptist Church
Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
Founded in 1809, it is one of the first black Baptist churches in America and the oldest in Pa. In 1832, two members, John and Samuel Bivins, sold themselves into slavery to free an enslaved man, James Burroughs, to serve as pastor. After a year, Burroughs paid the slaveowner and the Bivinses were freed. F.A.B members helped found Downingtown Industrial School and many Philadelphia-area churches. Booker T. Washington spoke at the church centennial.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
Founded in 1809, First African Baptist Church is among the earliest Black Baptist congregations in America and the oldest in Pennsylvania. In 1832 two of its members, John and Samuel Bivins, sold themselves into slavery to purchase the freedom of an enslaved man, James Burroughs, so he could serve as pastor; a year later Burroughs repaid the owner and the Bivinses were freed. The congregation helped establish the Downingtown Industrial School and many area churches, and Booker T. Washington spoke at its centennial.
Why it matters
The church stands as a landmark of free Black religious and community life in the early republic, and of the extraordinary sacrifices its members made for one another's freedom.
The story behind this marker
AI contextThe era
First African Baptist Church was founded in 1809, in the years of the early American republic — a time when Philadelphia was a leading center of free Black life in the young nation. The generation that built this congregation lived in the shadow of slavery even where they themselves were free, and they created institutions of their own: churches, schools, and mutual aid societies that offered dignity, leadership, and community when the wider society denied them.
A Black Baptist congregation in this era was far more than a place of Sunday worship. It was a gathering point, a school of self-government, and a fortress of identity. As one of the first Black Baptist churches in America and the oldest in Pennsylvania, First African Baptist stood near the very beginning of that vital tradition.
All of this unfolded against the harsh reality of a country where slavery remained legal and where even free Black Americans faced constant threats to their freedom — a backdrop that makes the church's story all the more remarkable.
People & events
The marker preserves an act of astonishing sacrifice. In 1832, two members of the congregation, John and Samuel Bivins, sold themselves into slavery in order to free an enslaved man, James Burroughs, so that he could serve as the church's pastor. It is hard to imagine a clearer expression of what a community was willing to give for its faith and its leadership.
The story did not end in bondage. After a year, Burroughs repaid the slaveowner, and the Bivinses were freed — a resolution that turned an act of profound self-sacrifice into a shared triumph. The details recorded on the marker carry a weight that no summary can fully soften: freedom given, freedom purchased, freedom restored.
The congregation's influence extended outward as well. Its members helped found the Downingtown Industrial School and many Philadelphia-area churches, seeding the region with institutions of education and worship. And when the church marked its centennial, Booker T. Washington — one of the most prominent African American leaders of his time — spoke there, linking this early republic congregation to the national Black leadership of a later age.
Its place in the American story
First African Baptist Church is a landmark of free Black religious and community life in the early United States. In an era when so much was denied to Black Americans, congregations like this built the institutions that would sustain generations — and this one stands among the oldest of them.
The sacrifice of the Bivins brothers speaks to something at the core of the American story: the lengths to which people went, within a system of slavery, to secure freedom for one another. It is a piece of history that resists easy telling, and precisely for that reason it deserves to be remembered exactly as it happened.
The church's role in founding schools and other congregations, and the visit of a figure like Booker T. Washington at its centennial, show how a single local institution can anchor a much wider network of Black religious, educational, and civic life. Its influence rippled across Pennsylvania and connected to the national currents of African American history.
If you visit
Approach this church as a place of living history rather than a museum piece. It is a house of worship with roots reaching back to the early republic, and the marker outside carries a story — of freedom bought at the highest personal price — that deserves to be read slowly and with care.
Standing here, it is worth pausing over the Bivins brothers and what they chose to do. Few historic sites ask you to reckon with an act of sacrifice quite so stark, and quite so human. Let the plainness of the setting sharpen rather than soften it.
The church fits into a broader exploration of Philadelphia's deep African American heritage, a city where free Black communities built enduring institutions in the nation's earliest decades. As with any active church, be respectful of services and the congregation's life; the best visit is a quiet and thoughtful one.
Written by AI to add context, grounded in the marker’s inscription and the historical record. The inscription above is the original, unaltered text.
Plan your visit
NearbyMake a day of it — museums, food, and places to stay near this marker.
Museums & culture
- African American Museum in Philadelphia5.6 mi away · 701 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Bridgette Mayer5.6 mi away · 709 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
- National Constitution Center5.7 mi away · 525 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Independence Visitor Center5.7 mi away · 599 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Congress Hall5.7 mi away · Philadelphia, PA
- Liberty Bell Center5.7 mi away · 526 Market Street, Philadelphia
Attractions
- American Bandstand2.4 mi away
- Philadelphia Zoo3.1 mi away
- Pennsylvania Railroad, Connecting Railway Bridge3.1 mi away
- Discovery Center at East Park Reservoir3.3 mi away
- Rocky Steps4.0 mi away
- The Universal Sphere4.6 mi away
Food & drink
- Burger King5.6 mi away
- Philly Pretzel Factory5.6 mi away
- Munchie’s Cafe5.6 mi away · 728 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
- El Azteca5.6 mi away
- Fat Salmon5.6 mi away · 719 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Park’s Salad Bar5.6 mi away
Places to stay
- Residence Inn Philadelphia Center City5.1 mi away · 1 East Penn Square, Philadelphia, PA
- Cambria Hotel Philadelphia Downtown - Center City5.1 mi away · 219 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA
- DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Philadelphia Center City5.1 mi away · 237 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA
- The Notary Hotel5.1 mi away · 21 North Juniper Street, Philadelphia
- Days Inn Philadelphia Convention Center - Philadelphia5.1 mi away · 1227 Race Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Holiday Inn Express5.1 mi away · 1305-11 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
Places data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Hours and details change — call ahead.
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Related people
- · John Bivins
- · Samuel Bivins
- · James Burroughs
- · Booker T. Washington
Themes & tags
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