Friendship Baptist Church Washington DC in 2022.
Friendship Baptist Church
Culture House DC, since 2013
Friendship Baptist Church (Washington, D.C.) is located in Central Washington, D.C.
Friendship Baptist Church (Washington, D.C.)
Friendship Baptist Church (Washington, D.C.) is located in the District of Columbia
Friendship Baptist Church (Washington, D.C.)
Friendship Baptist Church (Washington, D.C.) is located in the United States
Friendship Baptist Church (Washington, D.C.)
Location734 First Street SW Washington, D.C.
Coordinates38°52′49.6″N 77°0′42.6″W / 38.880444°N 77.011833°W / 38.880444; -77.011833
Built1886
Built byJames A. Boyce
Architectural styleRomanesque Revival
NRHP reference No.04001236[1]
Added to NRHPNovember 19, 2004

Friendship Baptist Church is a Baptist church located in the Southwest Waterfront neighborhood of Washington, D.C. It was originally known as Virginia Avenue Baptist Church.[2] Organized in 1875,[2] the church is one of Washington, D.C.'s oldest African American congregations.

Former building

The former church building, located at 734 First Street SW, was built by James A. Boyce in 1886.[1] Friendship Baptist Church moved from that building in 1965 and it was subsequently occupied by Miracle Temple of Faith in about 1974. Later it was occupied by Redeemed Temple of Jesus Christ (during 1982–2001).[3]: 8  It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.[1]

The First Street church building is now occupied by the Blind Whino Arts Club,[4] and was repainted with a full wrap-around mural.

The building has a central gable facade with two corner towers. It is described as having "a vernacular interpretation of the Romanesque Revival style with some Gothic Revival details (namely lancet arch windows)."[3]

Church leaders

Friendship Baptist Church has been led by the following pastors:[5]

  • Reverend Robert S. Laws (1875-1891)
  • Reverend W.H. Scott (1891-1892)
  • Reverend J.T. Clark (1892)
  • Reverend A.W. Shields (1892-1896)
  • Reverend Alexander A. Wilbanks (1896-1915)
  • Reverend Jerry Fields (1917-1918)
  • Reverend D.Y. Campbell (1922-1926)
  • Reverend Benjamin H. Whiting (1927-1980)[6]
  • Reverend William Henry Montgomery (1981-1993)
  • Reverend Dr. G. Martin Young (1996-1998)
  • Reverend Milton A. Covington (1999-2002)
  • Reverend Dr. Chester A. McDonald, Sr. (2002-2003)
  • Reverend J. Michael Little (2003-Present)

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  2. 1 2 "Friendship Baptist Church – – Friendship Baptist Church". Archived from the original on 25 August 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  3. 1 2 Emily Thompson (March 2004). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: Redeemed Temple of Jesus Chris / Virginia Avenue Baptist Church / Friendship Baptist Church (preferred) / Miracle Temple of Faith Baptist Church". National Park Service. Retrieved July 8, 2016. with 11 photos
  4. ↑ "Blind Whino Arts Club". Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  5. ↑ "Historical Highlights 1875 – Present | Friendship Baptist Church". 7 November 2015. Archived from the original on 7 November 2015. Retrieved 30 October 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  6. ↑ "Rev. Benjamin H. Whiting, Baptist Pastor in D.C." Washington Post. Jun 21, 1980. Retrieved 2 November 2022.


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