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Friendship Baptist Church
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Culture House DC, since 2013
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Location	734 First Street SW Washington, D.C.
Coordinates	38°52′49.6″N 77°0′42.6″W / 38.880444°N 77.011833°W / 38.880444; -77.011833
Built	1886
Built by	James A. Boyce
Architectural style	Romanesque Revival
NRHP reference No.	04001236
Added to NRHP	November 19, 2004

Friendship Baptist Church is a Baptist church located in the Southwest Waterfront neighborhood of Washington, D.C. It was originally known as Virginia Avenue Baptist Church. Organized in 1875, the church is one of Washington, D.C.'s oldest African American congregations.

Former building

The former church building, located at 734 First Street SW, was built by James A. Boyce in 1886. Friendship Baptist Church moved from that building in 1965 and it was subsequently occupied by Miracle Temple of Faith in about 1974. Later it was occupied by Redeemed Temple of Jesus Christ (during 1982–2001). It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.

The First Street church building is now occupied by the Blind Whino Arts Club, and was repainted with a full wrap-around mural.

The building has a central gable facade with two corner towers. It is described as having "a vernacular interpretation of the Romanesque Revival style with some Gothic Revival details (namely lancet arch windows)."

Church leaders

Friendship Baptist Church has been led by the following pastors:

• Reverend Robert S. Laws (1875-1891)
• Reverend W.H. Scott (1891-1892)
• Reverend J.T. Clark (1892)
• Reverend A.W. Shields (1892-1896)
• Reverend Alexander A. Wilbanks (1896-1915)
• Reverend Jerry Fields (1917-1918)
• Reverend D.Y. Campbell (1922-1926)
• Reverend Benjamin H. Whiting (1927-1980)
• Reverend William Henry Montgomery (1981-1993)
• Reverend Dr. G. Martin Young (1996-1998)
• Reverend Milton A. Covington (1999-2002)
• Reverend Dr. Chester A. McDonald, Sr. (2002-2003)
• Reverend J. Michael Little (2003-Present)

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in central Washington, D.C.

References

1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
2. ^ "Friendship Baptist Church – – Friendship Baptist Church". Archived from the original on 25 August 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
3. ^ Emily Thompson (March 2004). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: Redeemed Temple of Jesus Christ / Virginia Avenue Baptist Church / Friendship Baptist Church (preferred) / Miracle Temple of Faith Baptist Church". National Park Service. Retrieved July 8, 2016. with 11 photos
4. "Blind Whino Arts Club". Retrieved 17 January 2017.
5. "Historical Highlights 1875 – Present | Friendship Baptist Church". 7 November 2015. Archived from the original on 7 November 2015. Retrieved 30 October 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
6. "Rev. Benjamin H. Whiting, Baptist Pastor in D.C." Washington Post. Jun 21, 1980. Retrieved 2 November 2022.

External links

• Media related to Friendship Baptist Church at Wikimedia Commons
• Official website

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• 19th-century Baptist churches in the United States
• Baptist churches in Washington, D.C.
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• Churches completed in 1886
• Churches on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington, D.C.
• Religious organizations established in 1875
• Romanesque Revival church buildings in Washington, D.C.
• 1875 establishments in Washington, D.C.
• Washington, D.C., Registered Historic Place stubs
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