National Historic Landmark

African Meetinghouse

Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
Listed
October 6, 1971
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
71000087

About this property

The African Meeting House, also known variously as First African Baptist Church, First Independent Baptist Church and the Belknap Street Church, was built in 1806 and is now the oldest black church edifice still standing in the United States. A Baptist congregation led by Reverend Thomas Paul built the church. The church also established a school, at first holding classes in its basement. After serving most of the nineteenth century as a church, it then served as a synagogue until 1972 when it was purchased for the Museum of African American History. It is located in the Beacon Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, adjacent to the historically Black American Abiel Smith School, now also part of the museum. It is a National Historic Landmark.

Location

8 Smith St.
Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
42.35997, -71.06549

Categories

BLACKARCHITECTURERELIGIONSOCIAL HISTORY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Native Heritage
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Nearby Historic Sites

Nell, William C., House
Industrial
0 mi
Faneuil, Peter, School
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Sumner, Charles, House
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0.1 mi
Otis, (First) Harrison Gray, House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Old West Church
Industrial
0.1 mi

Nearby Battles

Siege of Boston
1775Revolutionary War
0.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was African Meetinghouse listed on the National Register?

African Meetinghouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 6, 1971.

What type of historic resource is African Meetinghouse?

African Meetinghouse is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is African Meetinghouse a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. African Meetinghouse has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for African Meetinghouse?

The period of significance for African Meetinghouse is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near African Meetinghouse?

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