Archaeologists believe they have discovered the foundation of the original building of First Baptist Church Williamsburg, Virginia, one of the nation’s oldest black churches.
The announcement, shared first with descendants of FBC members, was officially made Oct. 7 by Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, which runs the well-known outdoor living museum and historic district in Williamsburg.
“The early history of our congregation, beginning with enslaved and free blacks gathering outdoors in secret in 1776, has always been a part of who we are as a community,” said Reginald F. Davis, FBC pastor, in a statement.
“To see it unearthed — to see the actual bricks of that original foundation and the outline of the place our ancestors worshipped — brings that history to life and makes that piece of our identity tangible.”
