White Rock Baptist Church Records Inventory (#4926)

Manuscripts Department, Library of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the African American Resources Collection, North Carolina Central University

Contact Information:

Manuscripts Department

CB#3926, Wilson Library

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC 27514-8890

Phone: 919/962-1345

Fax: 919/962-3594

Email: mss@email.unc.edu

URL: http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/

Processed by

Jim Berwick and Bridget T. Lerette

Date Completed

June 2001

Encoded by

Jim Berwick and Bridget T. Lerette

Descriptive Summary Including Abstract

Title

White Rock Baptist Church Records (#4926)1880s-1980s

Creator

White Rock Baptist Church (Durham, N.C.).

Extent

About 13,500 items (13.5 linear feet)

Repository

Southern Historical Collection

Language

English.

Administrative Information

Access

No restrictions.

Usage Restrictions

Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Provenance

Received from, and held jointly with, the African American Resources Collection, North Carolina Central University, April 1998 (Acc. 98077). Boxes 28 and 29 (church bulletins) were transferred from the William Jesse Kennedy, Jr., Papers (#4925).

Processing Information

This collection was processed with support from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], in the White Rock Baptist church Records, #4926, Southern Historical Collection of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the African American Resources Collection of North Carolina Central University.

Online Catalog Terms

African American Baptists--North Carolina--History.

African American churches--History--20th century.

African American churches--North Carolina--Durham.

African Americans--North Carolina--Durham.

African Americans--North Carolina--History--20th century.

African Americans--Religion--North Carolina--History.

Durham (N.C.)--Church history.

Durham (N.C.)--Social life and customs.

North Carolina--Religion--20th century.

North Carolina--Religious life and customs.

White Rock Baptist Church (Durham, N.C.).

Historical Note

The White Rock Baptist Church was founded in 1866 in Durham, N.C., by two clergymen, the Reverend Zuck Horton and the Reverend Samuel "Daddy" Hunt, who organized the church in the home of Margaret "Maggie" Faucette. As the membership grew, the Church moved from the Faucette home at the corner of Pettigrew and Husband streets to a cotton gin on Elm Street. Two subsequent moves followed, first to a warehouse on Peabody Street and then to a lot on the corner of Pettigrew and Coleman streets.

Land was deeded to the Colored Missionary Baptist Church on March 13, 1877 by Cornelius Jordan. This deed included the names of John W. Cheek, Henry A. Reams, Edward Dolby, Thomas Garwood, Willis Moore, and Samuel Hunt, who presumably served as members of the first Board of Trustees. A large white flint rock located on this property prompted the name change to White Rock Baptist Church soon afterward.

In 1879, the Reverend Frederick Wilkins became the third pastor and led the congregation until 1881. The Reverend W. T. H. Woodward served as pastor from 1881 to 1884, followed by the Reverend B. K. Butler. Butler went on to form the Mount Vernon Baptist Church, Durham, N.C.; the Reverend A. P. Eaton led White Rock from 1886 to 1897. Eaton prompted the Church's move from the Pettigrew Street location to Fayetteville Street. While the congregation held numerous revivals, a brick church was constructed on the property sometime prior to 1895. Eaton left to found Saint John's Baptist Church. The Reverend H. H. Henderson led the congregation from approximately 1898 to 1900.

Collection Overview

This collection is comprised of materials, 1880s-1980s, documenting the history of the White Rock Baptist Church in Durham, N.C., and the religious life of its members, who are mostly African Americans. Included are business and financial records; bulletins; obituaries; publications; photographs; newspaper clippings; community service announcements; and items pertaining to the officers, operation, and maintenance of the Church.

Organization of Collection

1. Correspondence
2. Administrative Materials
2.1. General Administrative MaterialsCorrespondence
2.2. Boards and Committees
3. Financial Materials
4. Program Bulletins and Related Materials

Items Separated

Items separated include oversize papers (OP-4926/1-16).

Series Descriptions