Mount Zion Baptist Church
Abilene, Taylor County, Texas
Marker Inscription
The Reverend James Curry, a missionary from Sherman, Texas, organized this congregation in 1885. It is the oldest African American church in the city. The Reverend James Lewis served as first pastor of the congregation, which met in a small house near the railroad tracks until about 1907, when a sanctuary was erected at the corner of 4th and Cherry streets in the south part of town. The church moved to the north side of town in 1940. A part of Abilene history for well over a century, Mount Zion Baptist Church continues to serve the community with a variety of programs. (1995)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
In 1885 the Reverend James Curry, a missionary from Sherman, organized this congregation, the oldest African American church in Abilene, with the Reverend James Lewis as its first pastor. The worshipers met in a small house near the railroad tracks until about 1907, when a sanctuary rose at 4th and Cherry streets, and the church moved to the north side of town in 1940. For well over a century Mount Zion Baptist has anchored Black community life in Abilene.
Why it matters
Black churches founded in the post-Reconstruction decades were the spiritual and civic centers of African American communities, sustaining fellowship and leadership through generations of segregation.
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Related people
- · James Curry
- · James Lewis
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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