HISTORIC PLACES GUIDE

National Register of Historic Places

African Meetinghouse

African Meetinghouse is a historic place in Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places on October 7, 1971, and designated a National Historic Landmark. Its National Register reference number is 71000087.

Boston, Suffolk County, MassachusettsListed October 7, 1971NRIS #71000087★ National Historic Landmark
Photograph of African Meetinghouse
Photo: African Meetinghouse via Wikimedia Commons — see the file page for author and license. Image source
Noir atlas

Location 01

African Meetinghouse

Drag to explore · scroll to zoom · select a marker

About this place

What is African Meetinghouse?

The African Meeting House, also known variously as First African Baptist Church, First Independent Baptist Church and the Belknap Street Church, was built in 1806 and is now the oldest black church edifice still standing in the United States. A Baptist congregation led by Reverend Thomas Paul built the church. The church also established a school, at first holding classes in its basement. After serving most of the nineteenth century as a church, it then served as a synagogue until 1972 when it was purchased for the Museum of African American History. It is located in the Beacon Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, adjacent to the historically Black American Abiel Smith School, now also part of the museum. It is a National Historic Landmark.

Source: Wikipedia, text available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

The record

Listing details

Name
African Meetinghouse
City
Boston
County
Suffolk County
State
Massachusetts
Listed on the National Register
October 7, 1971
NRIS reference number
71000087
Resource type
building
National Historic Landmark
Yes
Coordinates
42.35997, -71.06549
When was African Meetinghouse listed on the National Register?

African Meetinghouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 7, 1971.

Where is African Meetinghouse located?

African Meetinghouse is located in Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts at approximately 42.35997, -71.06549. See the map above.

Is African Meetinghouse a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. African Meetinghouse is designated a National Historic Landmark, the highest federal recognition for a historic place.

Nearby on the register

More historic places in Massachusetts