Olney Street Baptist Church scrapbook

Collection — Box: 1

Identifier: MS 025.010

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Olney Street Baptist Church scrapbook has a written breakdown of the church’s early history from establishment to Pastor O.S. Paul Thompson’s time. Following this is a timeline of events from 1901-1963, noting major events such as the laying of the cornerstone and entering the newly constructed church.

The next section of the scrapbook is dedicated to the pastors of the Olney Street Baptist Church. The church’s pastors are listed chronologically from E.H. McDonald to Cornelius Williams, the then present pastor of the church (c. 1975). There are 20 pages of the scrapbook dedicated to the pastors of the church, including installation, anniversary, and farewell programs, and newspaper clippings. The next two pages have a copy of the 65th Anniversary program and highlights church groups, then two pages of newspaper clippings with photos of the exterior and interior of the church. Next in the scrapbook is a memorial to Pastor Frank Milton Smith who passed away on August 2, 1973. Included is a newspaper clipping about Smith, titled “Conservative Only Growth Called Myth By Black Pastor.”

The next section of the scrapbook focuses on the constructing of the new Olney Street Baptist Church. The construction of the new church took place under Pastor Percy A. Carter. Images included show the laying of the cornerstone, Carter's speech at the cornerstone laying and the march from Benefit Street to Olney Street for the first service at the new church on July 8, 1963. Several photographs have been removed from this section of the scrapbook and have been placed in one of the accompanying folders. The remainder of the scrap book contains images from the Olney Street Baptist Church in the 1970s. This includes images from the 1974 Women Day celebration, the installation service of Rev. Cornellius Williams, 73rd Anniversary and BYF youth group.

The scrapbook ends with the names of the scrapbook committee members. James G Mabray, Jesse R Bradley, Dorothy Perry, Dora Barbara, and William Pettiford

Also part of the binder are two folders with photos of the new church construction, cornerstone laying and of the junior and senior boards.

Dates

Creation: 1975

Conditions Governing Access

RIBHS staff may determine use restrictions dependent on the physical condition of manuscript materials.

Conditions Governing Use

RIBHS staff may determine use restrictions dependent on the physical condition of manuscript materials. The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to the U.S. Copyright Law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.

Biographical / Historical

The Olney Street Baptist Church began with eight incorporators separating from Congdon Street Baptist Church to form their own congregation. Once finding the vacant building on 30 Olney street the group was incorporated on December 18, 1901 in accordance with Rhode Island law. On December 22, 1901, the first service was held in the new Olney Street Baptist Church. E.H McDonald was installed on October 16, 1902, to serve as the first pastor of the church, which he would hold for five years.

In 1959 the Lippitt Hill redevelopment program forced the Olney Street Baptist Church to relocate. During this time, under pastor Samuel Berry McKinney, a plot of land was purchased from the city to build a new church. In the interim between the purchase and the opening of the new church, they first moved to Church of the Savior on North Main Street, then to the Benefit Street recreation center.

Under the next pastor, Percy Allen Carter Jr., construction took place from 1962-1963. The church held a laying of the cornerstone day where Reverend Carter spoke. After the construction had finished, Carter led a march from Benefit Street to the new Olney Street church on July 8, 1963, to mark the first service in their new building.

The Olney Street Baptist Church continues to regularly hold Sunday service and other church-led programs.