National Register Listing

Antioch Missionary Baptist Church

a.k.a. Antioch Baptist Church

313 Robin St., Houston, TX

The Antioch Missionary Baptist Church has important historical significance both to Houston and to the city's Black community. One of the oldest remaining buildings in the downtown area, the church represents a part of 19th century Houston that is fast disappearing from the city's architectural landscape. TO Houston's Black community, the church's significance arises from its being the oldest Black Baptist Church in the city and the mother church for succeeding Black Baptist congregations. In addition, the church is associated with several important historical leaders in the Black community and did pioneering work in the field of Black education in Houston. As one of the few structures that chronicles the contribution of Blacks to 19th century Houston, Antioch Baptist Church represents an epoch of ethnic history that figures prominently into the development of the city.

Antioch Missionary Baptist Church was organized in January 1866 as the first Black Baptist Church in Houston. The first services were held in the First Baptist Church and the German Baptist Church, but by August 1866 the members built a brush arbor on the banks of the Buffalo Bayou as a place to worship. Rev. I. S. Campbell, a Black Missionary sent by the White Bapist Miss. Society, ministered to this new group and by the following Spring, the membership had greatly increased and a large frame structure was built at the corner of Rusk and Bagby Streets.

A friend of Rev. Campbell's, Rev. John Henry Yates, was chosen in 1868, shortly after his ordination by Campbell, as the first full time pastor of Antioch. A native of Virginia, Rev. Yates was born a slave and moved to Matagorda County, Texas, in 1863 or 1864. Following Texas Emancipation in 1865, he settled his family in the young city of Houston. Yates became a property owner and continued to invest in land throughout the 19th century. He tirelessly urged his congregation to invest their meager savings in Fourth Ward real estate and become property owners. Yates was also responsible for persuading his congregation to purchase a site with the Trinity Methodist Church to use as a park commemorating Texas Emancipation Day, June 19, 1865.

By 1873, the frame structure was too small to accommodate the growing congregation and the trustees voted to purchase land for a new building. Two lots were purchased on Antioch's present site and Richard Allen was chosen as the builder. The foundation was laid in 1875 for the one-story brick structure on Robin Street and was finally completed in August 1879.

The church's builder, Richard Allen, was born in Virginia and later moved to Texas. After Emancipation, he settled his family in Harris County. A contractor and bridge builder by profession, Allen was also a prominent political figure. During Reconstruction, Allen was elected from Harris County to the 12th Legislative Session in 1870-71, the first Texas Legislature in which Blacks served. He continued in local politics as Customs Collector of the Port of Houston, City Alderman and City Scavenger. He was the first Grand Master of the Colored Masons of Texas and was a presidential elector every term until four years prior to his death in 1911.

Antioch Baptist Church under Rev. Yates' guidance was also a pioneer in the field of Black education. As one of the initial contributors toward the establishment of Bishop College, a school for Blacks founded in Texas by Nathan Bishop of New York, Rev. Yates tried to have the institution located in Houston. He was disappointed when Marshall was selected as the site in 1881. However, in 1885, the Northern Baptist Convention sent two white missionaries, Florence Dysart, and Jennie L. Peck, to the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church and helped Rev. Yates establish the Houston Baptist Academy in 1885. The Academy (later known as Houston College) was identified variously in the Houston City Directories as a private literary, industrial and ministerial school for Blacks and operated through the 1920's.

In 1891, Antioch voted to remodel their church, but activities were stalled after Rev. Yates resigned that year. The second full time pastor, Rev. Frederick L. Lights, took over as minister of Antioch in 1894. Rev. Lights began to finalize plans for completing the church alterations. The structure was enlarged to a two-story brick edifice during the first years of his pastorate and has maintained this basic shape through the 20th century. Serving the Antioch community from 1894-1921, Rev. Lights became a recognized leader in local, state and national religious, educational and civic affairs. For many years he served as President of the Foreign Mission Convention of Texas and an officer in the National Baptist Convention. In addition, he was President of the General Board of Trustees of Missionary and Educational Convention, President of the Minister's Alliance of Houston and Treasurer of Old Land Mark Association. His educational interests engaged him as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Houston Baptist Academy and he also assisted in the establishment of The Western Star, a weekly Black newspaper in Dallas and Houston. Finally, Rev. Lights was recognized as a leader in the business community by
being chosen as President of the Oregon Bank, a bank for Blacks in the vicinity of Antioch Church.

Throughout the 20th century the Antioch Baptist Church has continued to provide leadership in religious, educational, and civic activities. Once the center of a cohesive Black settlement, Antioch Baptist Church now finds itself surrounded by parking lots and dwarfed by nearby modern construction. As surrounding buildings have fallen victim to the downtown expansion, the historic Antioch Missionary Baptist Church remains one of the few tangible reminders of the contributions of Blacks to 19th century Houston.

Local significance of the building:
Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1976.