[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 110 (Monday, July 23, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1300]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PILGRIM BAPTIST CHURCH

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 23, 2012

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the Historic Pilgrim 
Baptist Church of Saint Paul, and its 150 years of rich history and 
dedicated service to our community.
  Pilgrim Baptist Church is the oldest African-American church in 
Minnesota, with a history deeply rooted in America's struggle for 
racial equality and social justice. More than 150 years ago, a group of 
slaves escaped and embarked upon a turbulent and courageous journey to 
the North during the Civil War. With the help of Union Forces and the 
Underground Railroad, this group of black men, women and children 
departed from Boone County, Missouri. Calling themselves ``pilgrims'', 
because they did not know their final destination, they began their 
long trek through the Midwest, eventually finding refuge in Saint Paul, 
Minnesota.
  The group found a leader in fellow escaped slave Robert Thomas 
Hickman, who had previously learned how to read under the direction of 
his master, and also received permission to preach to his peers. 
Reverend Hickman continued this practice upon arriving to Minnesota, 
gaining many followers who desired a welcoming place to worship. The 
congregation worshipped in several Saint Paul homes until they were 
able to rent a room in a local concert hall. Reverend Hickman received 
his mission status from the First Baptist Church of Saint Paul, and the 
congregation continued to worship under Hickman's direction, officially 
becoming the Pilgrim Baptist Church on November 15, 1866.
  The courage and dedication of Reverend Hickman and the founders of 
Pilgrim Baptist Church are woven into church history. Throughout the 
years, the congregation has not only been a spiritual home for 
countless families and individuals, but also a center for community 
action, serving as the birthplace of the Saint Paul Chapters of the 
NAACP and Urban League as well as schools and organized labor 
movements. This legacy of community activism continues today through 
the congregation and Reverend Charles Gill, Jr., who has served as the 
Senior Pastor since 2004. Reverend Gill remains steadfast in the church 
mission, delivering a message of love and acceptance to the 
congregation and the congregation continues to serve the community in 
many ways.
  Mr. Speaker, in honor of the 150th Anniversary of the Pilgrim Baptist 
Church of Saint Paul, Minnesota, I am pleased to submit this statement.

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