Savannah 's First African Baptist Church is one of the oldest black churches in the United States . Early members , mostly slaves , built the church from 1855 to 1859 . The building was destroyed by fire on April 26, 1865 and rebuilt with a new brick structure that stands today.
Savannah 's First African Baptist Church is one of the oldest black churches in the United States . Early members , mostly slaves , built the church from 1855 to 1859 . Current members consider history when facing trouble .