Resolution in Honor of the 180 Anniversary of the First Baptist Church of Chicago
WHEREAS, It is with great pleasure that the members of the City Council of the city of Chicago are hereby informed of the 180lh anniversary of the First Baptist Church of Chicago, in Chicago's historic Bronzeville community; and
WHEREAS, First Baptist Church of Chicago was organized near the old Fort Dearborn on October 19, 1833; and
WHEREAS, The pastor and members of the church met, including United States Senator Stephan A. Douglas, in May of 1856 to plan a university in the city at the site of 34th Street and Cottage Grove Avenue, which was the "Old University of Chicago," the predecessor to the great research university on the south side of Chicago; and
WHEREAS, In 1857, the men of First Baptist created the Chicago chapter of the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA); and
WHEREAS, The Baptist Theological Union, now known as the Divinity School of the University of Chicago, merged with the new University of Chicago, which was established by John D. Rockefeller, on July 1, 1892, with the help of members of First Baptist; and
WHEREAS, In 1881, the women of First Baptist were instrumental in the formation of the Baptist Missionary Training School, a training school for women who wanted to be missionaries; and
WHEREAS, First Baptist opened the first free kindergarten in the city for working mothers in 1912; and
WHEREAS, First Baptist has had seven different buildings in the city of Chicago, but moved to its current location in 1919, building its Christian Education building in 1923; and
WHEREAS, First Baptist was instrumental in establishing more than 20 churches and ministries in the city of Chicago, including the Calvary Baptist Church of South Shore, and
WHEREAS, In 1944, First Baptist opened its doors to Japanese Americans who were being resettled in the city of Chicago; and
WHEREAS, In 1963, members of First Baptist attended the historic March on Washington, and du...
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