Title	Canaan Baptist Church: 1960 dedication plaque
Creator(s)	West, Carroll Van, photographer
Date	1960?
Coverage	1960-1969
Property name	Canaan Baptist Church
Property type	Church
National Register Reference	05000290 listed April 22, 2005
Community Name	Bessemer, Jefferson County, AL
Latitude/Longitude	33.401863,-86.964206
Description	Color photograph of a plaque that lists the deacons and trustees of the church at the time of its rebuilding in 1960. Text inscribed in white stone reads: "Canaan Baptist Church Deacons and Trustees. G. Alexander, E. Dowdley, A. Davis, E. Farmer, A.V. Fike, C.w. Haynes, W. Hunter, M. Hunter, P. Jones, H.B. Moore, L. Lewis, E. Robinson, O. Studimire, W. B. Smith, F. Towns, J. Terrell. Rev. Dr. J.H. Browder, Pastor. Rebuilt in 1960.
Historical Notes	Canaan Baptist Church is locally significant because of its association as a key Bessemer strategy center during the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham during the early 1960s. Established in 1865 by Reverend W.M. Grimes, Canaan Baptist is the oldest African American Baptist congregation in Bessemer. The present church building was constructed in 1961. The civil rights associations lie largely with the leadership of Rev. Dr. J.H. Browder, who was pastor of Canaan Baptist from 1948 until his death in 1964. He and other members were active in Christian Aid Union and Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights in the late 1950s.
Collection Name	African American Churches
Subject-LCSH	African American churches
Subject-TGM	Churches
Type	Still image
Format	jpeg2000
Genre	Photograph
Medium	Paper
Extent	4 x 6 in.
Copyright status	Copyright of the creator. Reproduced with permission
Conditions for use	Credit Center for Historic Preservation, Middle Tennessee State University Reproduction permitted for non-profit educational and research purposes only
Digital Publisher	Digital Initiatives, James E. Walker Library, Middle Tennessee State University
Contributing Institution	Center for Historic Preservation, Middle Tennessee State University
Source file	CanaanBapJeff005