This congregation traces its history to 1866, when the Rev. I. S. Campbell was sent by the National Baptist Convention to organize African American churches in Texas immediately after the Civil War. Assisted by Joseph smalley, Campbell organized Damascus Missionary Baptist Church to serve residents of the West End and Chaneyville neighborhoods, part of Houston's Sixth Ward. The Rev. Louis Hansburg served as first pastor of the new church, which met in the home of Phillis Wheatley until a sanctuary was built at Center and Leverkuhn streets. By 1899 the congregation was meeting in a building at Center and Court streets; by 1902 it had moved across the street to 1109 Court Street. Destroyed by a storm in 19915, the church was rebuilt and dedicated in 1918. Moving to this location in 1924, the congregation erected a new structure in 1939. Throughout its history, Damascus Missionary Baptist Church has served the community with missionary, worship, educational, and civic outreach programs. Some church members represent families who have been associated with the congregation for as many as six generations.
This page last updated: 8/30/2009 |
Damascus Missionary Baptist Church Historical Marker Location Map, Houston, Texas
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Related Themes: Texas Baptist Churches, Texas C.S.A., Texas Confederate States of America, Confederacy
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