hayleycarson Baptists, Black Churches, Research Credit: Hayley Carson

47+ Years of Service in Des Moines

Reverend George Parrish was born in Boone, Iowa in 1914. He was primarily raised by his grandmother—who was a traveling midwife—leading him to finish high school outside of Iowa and pursue higher education at a Bible college in Nashville, Tennessee and the Western Bible School in Kansas City, Missouri. He returned to Iowa in 1936, … Continue reading 47+ Years of Service in Des Moines

karibassett Agile, Always Learning, Black Churches, Black Women, Research Credit: Hayley Carson, Research Credit: Juliana Gaddis

2024 Summer Internship

Time is funny. June 10 was the first day of the Iowa Black History Research Collective's second internship. The summer seemed vast and never ending. Now it is late July, we have about three weeks left, and students will be back to school in roughly a month. This summer it has been a tremendous pleasure … Continue reading 2024 Summer Internship

hayleycarson Black Churches, DIrty Laundry, Research Credit: Hayley Carson

The Challenges of Researching Black Churches

Researching Black churches using newspapers is quite tricky. Information from obituaries and weekly events are plentiful, but finding when a church’s name or location changes and consistent information on its development can be cumbersome. You have to notice patterns and think creatively.  This summer we are focused on the Maple Street Baptist Church and one … Continue reading The Challenges of Researching Black Churches

karibassett Baptists, Black Churches, Research Credit: Evelynn Coffie

Reverend T.L. Griffith’s Response to Atlanta Race Riots of 1906

Reverend T.L. Griffith of Corinthian Baptist Church delivered an address to “almost all of the city’s approximately 600 negroes” in response to the Atlanta Race Riot of 1906. In his address, he acknowledged the wrongs to the Black community and called on the audience to stand for the betterment of the community, urging restraint in … Continue reading Reverend T.L. Griffith’s Response to Atlanta Race Riots of 1906

karibassett Baptists, Black Churches, Research Credit: Evelynn Coffie

Church Metrics: The Legacy of T.L. Griffith

In December of 1908, Corinthian Baptist’s minister TL Griffith announced his resignation. His plan was to move to Denver, Colorado, and pastor Zion Church, which was, at the time, the largest Black church in the US. In January, 1909, the Register reported that the congregation passed a resolution (including a letter to Zion Church’s congregation) … Continue reading Church Metrics: The Legacy of T.L. Griffith