LeRoy Bailey Jr. In February 1971, LeRoy Bailey Jr, an assistant minister at Golden Leaf Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee was called to be the second pastor of the First Baptist Church. He was licensed to preach in 1958; and ordained in 1966 by L. A. Hamblin. Bailey, a 1970 graduate of The College of the Bible at American Baptist College in Social Science. As an undergraduate, Bailey served as the 1969–1970 co-chairman of the student-faculty relations committee, chairman of the recruitment committee of the School of Religion and the National president of Alpha Theta Nu Omega theological fraternity. He completed his master's degree at Howard University School of Religion in Practical Theology in 1971. While attending Howard, he received the Maynard award for preaching. Upon his arrival to Hartford, Bailey served as state representative for the Connecticut Convention of American Baptist Churches USA, an auditor for the Connecticut Missionary Baptist Convention, chairman of the social action committee of the Ministerial Inter-denominational Alliance of Greater Hartford, and a general member of the board of directors of The North Hartford churches for the Aging, Bellevue Square Boys Club, The Hartford Chapter of 70001 Ltd. and the Family Service Society in Hartford, Connecticut. Bailey served as the State representative for the Connecticut Convention of American Baptist Churches on the American Baptist Churches USA 'Key 73' evangelistic committee. In 1972, Bailey galvanized the church to transition from a house church to purchase its first building, register with the National Baptist Convention and the American Baptist Convention, and launch a syndicated radio broadcast. In 1975, Bailey led efforts to secure the former Agudas Achim temple in Hartford, Connecticut. The building had suffered a 'great deal' of vandalism during a ten-year tenure as a property used for civic and social functions. Bailey raised 135,000 dollars (611,000.00 in 2015) to purchase the building from the previous owners. In 1976–1977, Bailey led a congregation effort to revitalize the building, repairing the structure of the building. The revitalization was cited by a contractor to cost 400,000 dollars (1,810,000.00 in 2015), the project was competed for only 60,000. ($271,000.00 in 2015). From 1986–1999, Bailey led the church in a series of capital campaigns to construct a housing complex, secure additional properties and construct The First Cathedral, in Bloomfield, Connecticut. In 2006, Bailey, established the American chapter of The International Bishops Conference. Under Bailey's leadership, the church's membership has grown