Bethlehem First Baptist, Tyler’s first Black Baptist congregation
Tyler’s first Black Baptist congregation was Bethlehem First Baptist, formed after the Civil War when African Americans who had belonged to the white First Baptist Church during slavery were transferred to their own church.
It first worshiped in the basement of the Smith County Courthouse.
Note
No founding year is given; the source says only that it formed after the Civil War.
Sources
- National Register Multiple Property Documentation Form: Historic and Architectural Resources of Tyler, Texas (Diane E. Williams, 2000; THC Atlas)atlas.thc.texas.gov
The first Baptist congregation was Bethlehem First Baptist, founded after the war when African Americans who joined the white First Baptist Church during slavery
This congregation first worshiped in the basement of the Smith County Courthouse.
Checked October 15, 2026. How the cards are filed