[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 31 (Tuesday, February 24, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E233-E234]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING THE 149TH ANNIVERSARY OF ANTIOCH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH 
                           IN HOUSTON, TEXAS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 24, 2015

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the legendary 
Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Houston, Texas, which this year 
celebrates 149 years of service to the greater Houston community and 
the nation.
  For more than a half century, under the leadership of the Rev. F.N. 
Williams, Sr., the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, now led by Rev. 
O.B. Winkley, has provided material support and spiritual sanctuary to 
the least of God's children and used the prophetic voice of the church 
to speak truth to power.
  Mr. Speaker, in January 1866, seven months after slaves were freed in 
Texas (June 19, 1865), a small group of freed slaves, assisted by the 
First Baptist Church and missionaries, organized the first African 
American Baptist Church in Houston, Texas.
  After holding worship services at the First Baptist Church and the 
German Baptist Church, church members began to hold services on Buffalo 
Bayou in ``Brush Arbor.''
  Later, the church moved to ``Baptist Hill'' located at Rusk and Bagby 
until the present site was purchased.
  In 1868, one of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church's members, Jack 
Yates, was ordained at the first meeting of the Association of African 
American Baptist Churches.
  Rev. Jack Yates became the first pastor of Antioch Missionary Baptist 
Church and as the membership grew and additional space was needed, Rev. 
Yates led the church to purchase its present site and build a brick 
structure.
  Antioch Missionary Baptist Church's new home was the first brick 
structure built and owned by African-Americans in Houston, and was 
located in the center of Freedman's Town and was the center of activity 
for the African-American community.
  Antioch Missionary Baptist Church provided the former slaves with 
opportunities to worship the Lord, but also established ministries to 
help them develop educationally, economically and socially.
  With the help of two missionaries, Rev. Yates began the Baptist 
Academy, which taught such fundamental skills as reading, writing, and 
arithmetic, and provided vocational training to enable men and women to 
start their own businesses.
  Mr. Speaker, Baptist Academy would later become Houston College, the 
forerunner of Texas Southern University.
  Under Rev. Yates' leadership, church members were encouraged and 
assisted in buying property, owning homes, and developing businesses.
  The Old Landmark Baptist Association of Texas was organized at 
Antioch and Emancipation Park was purchased in a joint venture with 
Trinity Methodist Church to provide green space to engage in 
recreational activities and hold community celebrations, such as 
Juneteenth.
  Mr. Speaker, I take great pride in recognizing the Antioch Missionary 
Baptist Church

[[Page E234]]

and the Rev. O.B. Winkley on the occasion of its 149th Anniversary and 
its nearly century and half of service to the Houston community.

                          ____________________