(1831-1900)
When the steamboat Northern arrived in 1863 carrying labor and equipment to defuse a Dakota Indian uprising, it also towed a raft of 76 ex-slaves that had been found drifting. The ex-slaves (considered contraband at the time) called themselves "Pilgrims." They were met by hostile white dock workers and were taken to Fort Snelling for their protection. Soon, they were joined by a second group of 218 escaped slaves. While some settled near the fort, the remainder, led by dynamic preacher Robert T. Hickman returned to Saint Paul. Three years later they founded Pilgrim Baptist Church, one of the oldest continuous black congregations in the state.
]]>- 743 Central Avenue -
Pilgrim Baptist Church was started in 1863 by Rev. Robert T. Hickman and his prayer group, who called themselves “Pilgrims.” Its current building at 743 Central Av. dates from 1928 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The church not only is a place of worship it also played a role in establishing institutions important to Frogtowners, including the St. Paul chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People or NAACP (1916), the local Urban League chapter (1923), and the Hallie Q. Brown Center in 1929. The Sterling Club, a social club, and the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters also met at the church.
The church’s brick building is designed in a simple Romanesque style. Note the main three-door entry and take a moment to look at the detailed windows. Many windows depict symbols of the church and people and moments important in church history.
]]>