When the white members of the original First Baptist Church congregation moved up the hill in 1841 to their new edifice, designed by Thomas U. Walter (see next entry), the African American members stayed in the old church, on this site. They replaced it with this building, obviously influenced by Walter's design, in 1876. Originally the building was stuccoed and had a cupola, which has been removed. Other detailing, such as the rich moldings and rounded arches at the former window openings, is decidedly more Italianate than Greek Revival. The congregation moved to the north side of the city in the 1960s. The interior has been unattractively altered for use as classrooms and offices.