Munger Avenue Baptist Church
Dallas, Dallas County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Located near the railroad tracks on Central Avenue, Galilee Baptist Church was organized in 1894 by the Rev. A. H. Smith and a small group of charter members. In an attempt to block out noise and distractions from nearby taverns, members hung large rags in the church windows. Neighbors soon nicknamed it "Rag Doll Church." In 1911, under the direction of the Rev. A. D. Hindon, the church relocated to 3407 Munger Avenue. Led by the Rev. Abraham Lincoln King from 1912 to 1917, the congregation built its first permanent church structure and changed its name to Munger Avenue Baptist Church. Between 1919 and 1932 the church expanded under the leadership of the Rev. William Lofton. A new sanctuary was completed at the present site in 1940-41 during the pastorate (1932 - 1946) of the Rev. Bernard Byrd. The Rev. Brooks Ellis Joshua came to Dallas in 1946, and continued growth under his leadership included an educational building. Following his death in 1968 a chapel was dedicated in his honor. This church has served the community with Sunday School, nursery school, worship, and outreach programs. Its members have played an active role in improving race relations in the city.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Galilee Baptist Church was organized in 1894 near the railroad tracks on Central Avenue, where members famously hung heavy rags in the windows to muffle the din of nearby taverns — earning it the nickname "Rag Doll Church." After relocating to Munger Avenue in 1911 and taking that name under Rev. Abraham Lincoln King, the congregation built its first permanent structure and grew steadily through the pastorates that followed. A new sanctuary was completed in 1940–41, and the church became a center for worship, education, and civic life in the community.
Why it matters
As a long-standing African American congregation whose members worked to improve race relations in Dallas, the church shows how Black churches served as engines of community life and civil-rights progress.
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Related people
- · Abraham Lincoln King
- · Bernard Byrd
Themes & tags
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