Waco, McLennan County
On December 7, 1879, twenty-one members of the New Hope Baptist Church, located on the north side of Waco, organized this congregation to serve the needs of the black community in the southern part of town. Originally known as the Second Colored Baptist Church, the fellowship was begun during the last days of Reconstruction when many blacks were leaving former slave states for other parts of the country. Worship services were held in a one-room building on Canal Street until 1882, when the congregation moved to property on First Street. Financial hardships and a 1922 fire that destroyed the sanctuary plagued the members of Second Baptist Church after they relocated to South Second Street (later named M.L. Cooper Drive) in 1896. Despite such setbacks, the congregation continued to grow and was able to provide for the spiritual needs of the community. Throughout its history the church has supported outreach and missionary programs. A member of the Missionary Baptist General Convention of Texas and the National Baptist Convention of America, Second Baptist Church has served as a focal point for Waco's black community for more than 100 years.