Bethel Baptist Institutional Church (Jacksonville, Florida)

African American Civil Rights Network

Bethel Baptist Institutional Church (Bethel Baptist Church) is the oldest Baptist congregation in Jacksonville, Florida.

In July, 1838, the Reverend James McDonald established the first Baptist congregation in Jacksonville, Florida. The congregation was officially incorporated by the Legislative Council of the Territory of Florida in 1841, under the name of Bethel Baptist Church. At the time of the church’s incorporation, Reverend McDonald served a mixed congregation of blacks and whites, slaves and slave owners.

By 1859, the congregation had grown to 250 Black and 40 White members. A new church was built in the early 1860s at the start of the U.S. Civil War. Shortly after completion of the new building, the Union Army occupied the church and turned it into a hospital facility to serve wounded soldiers.

After the Civil War church congregations in the south that had racially mixed congregations began to segregate, with White and Black congregations forming separate churches. The White members of Bethel Baptist Church attempted to force the Black members out of the church and a dispute arose over who owned the church name and property. The case was taken to court and a court settlement was reached in 1868, resolving the conflict. The court ruled in favor of the Black church members, who made up the majority of the congregation. The church property was awarded to the White members and while the Black members were required to be financially compensated and allowed to keep the church name. The White church members remained in the church, but had to buy the property from the Black church members and change the name of the church. The Black church members bought a piece of property in downtown Jacksonville, built a new building, and, as they legally owned the name, called it Bethel Baptist Church after their former church.

Over the years, Bethel Baptist Church (today Bethel Baptist Institutional Church) has undergone numerous changes and a relocation, with the current church building dating to 1904, but the community surrounding the church has continued to preserve the legacy of the original congregation.

Bethel Baptist Institutional Church became part of the African American Civil Rights Network in November of 2023.

The African American Civil Rights Network recognizes the African American Civil Rights Movement in the United States and the sacrifices made by those who fought against discrimination and segregation. Created by the African American Civil Rights Act of 2017, and coordinated by the National Park Service, the Network tells the stories of the people, places, and events of the U.S. African American Civil Rights Movement through a collection of public and private resources to include properties, facilities, and programs.