About
If these walls could talk, they’d tell tales of courage, perseverance, and sacrifice. From Freedom Seekers traveling along the underground railroad to activists laying the foundation for the civil rights movement, the Michigan Street Baptist Church has hosted and witnessed countless heroes united by an unwavering pursuit of progress. Today, the next chapter of the church is being written—one that uncovers its rightful place in America’s history.
The history of the Michigan Street Baptist Church begins in 1836 when a group of African American men met in a brick schoolhouse on South Division Street to incorporate themselves as the Second Baptist Society of Buffalo. In 1845 a group of six trustees purchased land just east of downtown on Michigan Street. Learn more.
“ THE MICHIGAN STREET
BAPTIST CHURCH
is the first Black church in the City of Buffalo
BUILT BY BLACKS,
owned by Blacks,
AND CONTINUALLY
WORSHIPPED BY BLACKS. ”
~ Dr. Monroe Fordham
The Buffalo Niagara Freedom Station Coalition is the nonprofit that owns, manages, and leads the preservation efforts on the Michigan Street Baptist Church.