Records of the First Regular Missionary Baptist Church of Lawrence, Kansas
Overview
The First Regular Missionary Baptist Church Collection documents the history, membership, and activities of an African American congregation in Lawrence, Kansas. The collection contains pastoral, congregational, Sunday School, and club records.
Dates
- Creation: 1915 - 2005
Creator
- First Regular Missionary Baptist Church (Lawrence, Kan.) (Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
No access restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
Spencer Library staff may determine use restrictions dependent on the physical condition of manuscript materials.
History of First Regular Missionary Baptist Church
The First Regular Missionary Baptist Church of North Lawrence, Kansas, was organized in 1868. Shortly thereafter, a lot was purchased at 416 Lincoln Street and a building erected. The Reverend Gabriel Gray served as the first pastor, and Ishmael Keith acted as superintendent for the newly organized Sunday School. Initially, the church joined the Missouri Association (of Missionary Baptist Churches). A few years later, it shifted to the Kansas Association and became the birthplace of the Kaw Valley District Association.
At the turn of the century, the congregation constructed a new building on the site of the original church. During the Lawrence flood of 1903, it served as a place of refuge for North Lawrence residents until rescue workers in boats could remove them to safety. In 1987, the congregation relocated to 1646 Vermont, where it celebrated its 135th anniversary in 2005.
Extent
2 Linear Feet (4 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Scope and Contents
This collection reflects the physical and spiritual growth of the First Regular Missionary Baptist Church congregation in Lawrence, Kansas. It is comprised of church records dating from the 1900s, but also includes retrospective church histories.
The contents consist of pastoral, congregational, Sunday School, and club records. Included are church bulletins, programs, directories, minutes, reports, and correspondence. Pastors represented in the records are the Reverends A. Lewis Parker, Billy J. Johnson, R. L. Yates, Calvin Jackson, Jr., Andrew J. Smith, Jr., and Reginald Bachus.
Sunday School, choir, and club minutes make up a significant portion of the collection. They are grouped by form of material, and appear in both the Record Book and Papers series.
The collection contains ten photographs, including a picture of the Church on its 100th anniversary in 1968. The photographs are located at RH MS-P 605.
Series List
Arranged in the following series:
- Record Books
- Contains bound minute and account books from First Regular's congregation, Sunday School, and clubs. Arrangement is chronological.
- Papers
- Contains folders of loose papers, including Sunday School, choir, and club minutes, church bulletins showing the order of worship at Sunday morning services, programs, calendars, newspaper clippings, typescripts and correspondence. It also contains several softbound membership directories. Folder arrangement is alphabetical with chronological arrangement of contents.
- Photographs
- Two photographs of the church donated by Louis Scott; also family photographs donated by Irene Southard. Chronological arrangement.
Physical Location
RH MS 605
Physical Location
RH MS-P 605
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Irene W. Southard, 1990; Erma J. Stillman, 1990; Louis R. Scott, 1990; and Alice Fowler, 1997
Subject
- Title
- Guide to the First Regular Missionary Baptist Church Collection
- Subtitle
- Records of the First Regular Missionary Baptist Church of Lawrence, Kansas
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by hhh, 2005; revised by, cl 2010; revised by skt, 2010; Finding aid encoded by hhh, 2005; revised by skt, 2010
- Date
- 2005
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Finding aid written in English.
- Sponsor
- Support for the processing of this Collection was provided by the Dana and Sue Anderson African American Collecting Program Endowment Fund.
- Finding aid permalink
- http://hdl.handle.net/10407/8771331104
- Preferred citation
-
First Regular Missionary Baptist Church Collection, Kansas Collection, RH MS 605, Kenneth Spencer Research Library, University of Kansas Libraries
Repository Details
Part of the University of Kansas. Kenneth Spencer Research Library Repository