In August 2024, the historic Elm Grove Baptist Church, the first African American church in Arkansas built by slaves in 1843, marked its 181st birthday, having survived Jim Crow, the racial discrimination during the Civil Rights Movement, and much more.
Image Credit: Left www.arkansasonline.com; Right www.nwaonline.com
In August 2024, the historic Elm Grove Baptist Church marked its 181st year of existence. In 1843, 22 years before the 13th Amendment abolished slavery, slaves in the Noble Lake area asked to have their own church built. An 1860 Census from Jefferson County lists Robert Johnson as the owner of 64 slaves in Richland Township in the Noble Lake Cottondale area. According to the Reverend Jesse Turner, who has pastored the church since 1994, "Elm trees were plenteous on the front lawn where the church would be built, thus, the origin of the name Elm Grove."
The late Ora Foster-Roby, who passed away at 95 years old in 2023, and the late Arlease Walker, who died in 2015 at 101 years old, stated that "There were two plantations in this area, the Johnson and Couch Plantations with Highway 65 South serving as the dividing line for both plantations. The Johnson Plantation, where Elm Grove Baptist Church was organized, was north of Highway 65, and the Couch Plantation was south of Highway 65." In organizing the Elm Grove Baptist Church, the Johnson and Couch Plantation slaves organized the first Baptist Church for African Americans in Arkansas.
After every revival, all new converts at Elm Grove Baptist Church were baptized in Noble Lake. Sister Idella Hunter, a devoted Elm Grove Baptist Church member, purchased the first and only church bell after selling apples for five cents throughout the week.
At midnight on Juneteenth, June 19, 2019, the 400 Years of African American History Commission, devoted to highlighting the contributions of African Americans throughout history in all spheres of life, selected Elm Grove as the lead church to ring its historic bell. According to a press release, “The bell rang 21 times, 20 times to represent the first 20 enslaved Africans arriving in 1619 at Point Comfort, Va., and one time for the odd.” The bell's tolling also ushered in the globally recognized African American History event, “Let’s Talk: The International Day of Drumming and Healing, ” which placed Elm Grove's involvement in the United States National Archives. In 2020, the Elm Grove bell rang again for the late John R. Lewis, civil rights leader and U.S. Representative from Georgia's 5th District.
Today the historic Elm Grove Baptist Church is located at 3114 S. Mississippi Street in Pine Bluff.
On Sunday, April 1, 1939, a tornado roared through the Noble Lake-Cottondale area, destroying the original church building. Under the direction of Pastor Joe L Frazier, members of the church and local community rebuilt Elm Grove Baptist Church, and worship resumed. According to the Pine Bluff School District, the Elm Grove Baptist Church also served as a public school for the Noble Lake-Cottondale area until 1947, providing many African American children with their early education.
In 1965 Elm Grove Baptist Church families relocated from Richland Township in the Noble Lake-Cottondale area to Pine Bluff. After the church’s relocation, Taylor Lake, located southeast of the church, was briefly utilized to baptize new converts.
Taylor Lake is an artificial lake built by slaves on the Creed Taylor Plantation in 1810. So, it fits quite well into the church’s rich African American history. Today Taylor Lake and its well-balanced fish population are being considered for acquisition by the Arkansas Heritage Commission. Taylor Lake currently enriches the local community by providing recreational opportunities like walking, fishing, biking, and observing wildlife.
In an interview with KARK after Elm Grove’s 181st birthday, Rev. Turner stated, “The church is in us so the teachings of Christ were put in us by our grandfathers, grandmothers, great-grandmothers, and we’re still exercising that today.” The members of Elm Grove Baptist Church continue to serve God with fervor even after 181 years of surviving Jim Crow, the racial discrimination present during the Civil Rights Movement, and much more.
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Written by: Ninfa O. Barnard