Indiana Historical Society - Manuscripts and Archives Department
Collection Information
Historical Sketch
Scope and Content Note
Box and Folder Listing
Cataloging Information
Processed by:
Wilma L. Gibbs
14 August 1991
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VOLUME OF COLLECTION: |
3 manuscript boxes, 13 photographs |
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COLLECTION DATES: |
Inclusive 1907-1986; Bulk 1957-1980 |
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PROVENANCE: |
F. Benjamin Davis, Pastor, New Bethel Baptist Church, 1619-65 Martindale, (now Dr. Andrew J. Brown St.), Indianapolis, IN, 46205, 16 September 1985 |
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RESTRICTIONS: |
None |
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COPYRIGHT: |
Held by Indiana Historical Society |
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ALTERNATE FORMATS: |
None |
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OTHER FINDING AIDS: |
None |
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RELATED HOLDINGS: |
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ACCESSION NUMBER: |
1991.0683X |
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NOTES: |
The New Bethel Church was organized in July, l875, in the home of William Jackson in Indianapolis. The Church was organized by Reverend Jacob R. Reiner with the help of Jackson, J. Ball, S. Goliath, Gable Griffin, Hannibal Hall, G. Patterson, D. Scott, and S.W. Watkins.
New Bethel first appeared in the Indianapolis City Directory in l878. Its location was listed as 'eastside Beeler, north Lincoln Avenue.' The address listed in 1881 was 83 Beeler St. In 1895, the street name was changed to Martindale Avenue. Its current address is 1535 Dr. Andrew J. Brown Avenue. (Although the Church has remained on the same property, the name of the street reflects its most recent name change). In l987, the street name was changed to honor a local minister, Andrew Brown. Dr. Brown is the pastor at the neighboring St. John Missionary Baptist Church.
New Bethel Baptist Church has had several pastors, many whom have held long tenures. Reverend G. Smith served briefly between the pastorships of Reiner and Reverend Nathaniel A. Seymour. Seymour became pastor of the Church in l879. He was the founder and first president of the New Bethel Baptist Church Convention which was organized in 1918. When Seymour died in 1937, Reverend George Baltimore became pastor of the Church following a brief time as acting pastor. During Baltimore's tenure the Church grew from a small building to a large structure with a basement, classrooms, and a balcony.
Dr. J.O. Clark succeeded Baltimore as pastor in 1949. During his term the Church purchased additional property. The existing building was completely remodeled. A sports outreach program, a day nursery, and a library were also established during his tenure. In 1951 Dr. Clark organized a radio program. When Dr. Clark died in 1953, he was succeeded by New Bethel's current pastor, Dr. F. Benjamin Davis.
Sources: Materials in the Collection
Indianapolis City Directories
This collection contains material related to the New Bethel Baptist Church in Indianapolis. The collection spans from 1907-1986. Most of the material dates between the late 1950s and 1980. There are program booklets from church anniversaries, newsletters, and bulletins. The bulk of the material, however, pertains to other Baptist institutions or organizations to which New Bethel has an affiliation. The collection includes a l907 minute book from the Baptist Ministerial and Deacon's Alliance and most of the official journals of the annual Indiana Missionary Baptist State Convention from 1965-1982.
In addition to materials from state conventions and the New Bethel Baptist Church, there are program booklets from other Baptist churches and organizations. There is a 1942 directory of Black Baptist churches in the United States; a few issues of the National Baptist Union-Review, a news organ of the National Baptist Publishing Board. Earlier editions of the newspaper include an Indiana page. There are also materials related to Central Baptist Seminary, a training school for ministers which opened in Indianapolis in 1943.
There are several photographs in the collection. Most of the photographs relate to groups in the Church including the Women's Missionary Society, Baptist Training Union, Gospel Choir and the Men's Bible Class. The photographs are stored in Visual Collections.
BOX 1 New Bethel Baptist Church; State Baptist Churches, Organizations, Institutions, and Publications; Indiana Missionary Baptist State Convention Official Journals, 1965-1970
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FOLDER |
CONTENTS |
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1 |
Reverend F. Benjamin Davis |
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2 |
Church Convention Minutes, 1924-1925 |
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3 |
New Bethel Booster, 1941, 1949 |
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4 |
Church Weekly Bulletin, 1954 |
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5 |
Church Convention Program booklets, 1965-1985 |
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6 |
Clippings |
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7 |
(VC) 13 Photographs, ca. 1960 [Women's Missionary Society; Baptist Training Union; Brotherhood; Cub Pack (serious pose); Cub Pack (same group as #4, smiling pose); Church Aid; Sunday School; Men's Bible Class; Gospel Choir; Deacons; Deaconesses (smiling- 2 copies); Deaconesses (same groups as #11, different pose)] |
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8 |
Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, Muncie, Indiana |
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9 |
Mount Paran Reporter, Indianapolis, 1959 |
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10 |
Baptist Ministers Foresight, Indianapolis |
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11 |
City Churches Usher's Union, Indianapolis |
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12 |
Central Baptist Theological Seminary |
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13 |
Indiana Negro Missionary Baptist Ministerial Convention, 1913 Minutes |
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14 |
Indiana Negro State Missionary Baptist Association, Minutes, 1928 |
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15 |
Baptist Ministerial and Deacon's Alliance, Minutes, 1907-1914 |
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16 |
Indiana Baptist Trumpet, 1951 |
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17 |
Indiana Baptist Convention Special, 1962 |
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18 |
Statewide Baptist Fellowship of Indiana, 1958 |
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19 |
Indiana Missionary Baptist State Convention Official Journals 108, 111, 112 (1965-1970) |
BOX 2 Indiana Missionary Baptist State Convention Official Journals, 1970-1982; National Baptist Organizations and Directories
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FOLDER |
CONTENTS |
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1 |
Journals 113, 114, 115 (1970-1973) |
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2 |
Journals 116, 118, 119 (1973-1977) |
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3 |
Journals 120, 121 (1977-1979) |
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4 |
Journals 122, 123 (1979-1981) |
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5 |
Journals 124 (1981-1982) |
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6 |
Congress of National Black Churches |
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7 |
National Baptist Convention |
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8 |
Directory of National Baptist Churches in the United States, Volume I, 1942 |
BOX 3 National Baptist Organizations and Directories; National Baptist Publications
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FOLDER |
CONTENTS |
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1 |
Directory of National Baptist Churches in the United States, Volume II, 1942 |
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2 |
Baptist Progress 1974, 1976 |
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3 |
National Baptist Union- Review 1955-1957 |
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4 |
National Baptist Union- Review 1958-1959 |
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5 |
National Baptist Union- Review 1960's |
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6 |
National Baptist Union- Review 1975 |
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7 |
National Baptist Union- Review 1976 |
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8 |
National Baptist Union- Review 1979 |
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9 |
National Baptist Union- Review 1980 |
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10 |
The Y's Man Newsletter 1961-1963 |
For additional information on this collection, including a list of subject headings that may lead you to related materials:
END