Title	St. Peter Primitive Baptist Church: church annex
Creator(s)	West, Carroll Van, photographer
Date	2003
Coverage	2000-2009
Property name	St. Peter Primitive Baptist Church
Property type	Church
Community Name	Bessemer, Jefferson County, AL
Description	Color photograph of a two-story white cement building with blue stone work on corners; double metal doors on ground floor under a blue cross; metal stairs going up to a second floor blue door. The building was constructed as a commercial warehouse but was acquired and renovated by the church to serve as an annex.
Historical Notes	The congregation of St. Peter Primitive Baptist Church formed in 1903 and constructed its first building in 1911 at the same location as the present church. By 1943 the congregation had outgrown the original building, which was demolished to allow construction of a brick church of mid-twentieth century Gothic Revival design, creating one of the largest gathering places for African Americans in Bessemer. The expansive new sanctuary allowed the church to have an important role in the development of a capella gospel singing in the Birmingham-Bessemer area. Most notably, the Sterling Jubilee Singers are closely associated with the church . Rev. William A. Clark, who served as pastor until 1962, led the effort to construct a new church, encouraged the use of the church for gospel programs, and was a supporter of the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights (ACMHR). The church was among the first to host critical meetings of ACMHR in the years 1956-58.
Collection Name	African American Churches
Subject-LCSH	African American Churches -- Tennessee Church buildings -- Alabama
Subject-TGM	Churches
Type	Still image
Genre	Photograph
Extent	4 x 6 in.
Copyright status	Copyright of the creator. Reproduced with permission
Contributing Institution	Center for Historic Preservation, Middle Tennessee State University
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

St. Peter Primitive Baptist Church: church annex

Description