El Paso, El Paso County
The Baptist Home Mission Board of New York established Second Baptist Church of El Paso in 1884 under the leadership of Reverend E.M. Griggs. Initially it had just five members—George Duvall, Thomas Gaines, Calvin Neal, and Mr. And Mrs. Joe Pollard—but soon became the religious and cultural center of El Paso’s African American community. The church has always been located in the downtown area. The first home of the congregation was a rented one-room adobe house on South Stanton Street, between San Antonio Avenue and Overton Street. In 1888, a frame building was erected on Utah Street to become the new, larger home of the church. Reverend J.T. Hill oversaw construction of the current church, a gothic revival style brick sanctuary, on Virginia Street between 1903 and 1907. The building was nearly destroyed by fire in 1969, but was completely restored the next year. It became a City of El Paso landmark in 1981. The Second Baptist congregation has played a prominent role in El Paso’s small, vibrant African American community for more than a century. Leona Washington (1928-2007) was a teacher, activist and founder of the McCall Neighborhood Center. Olalee McCall (1890-1957) was the first female principal of the Douglass Grammar and High School. L.B. Adams was the longest-serving reverend of the church, preaching from 1952 to 1970. He played a key role in enhancing the stature and importance of Second Baptist within the community. The church still serves the community and preserves its spiritual heritage.