Dexter Avenue Baptist Church
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Dexter Avenue Baptist Church
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Exterior of the church
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| Location | 454 Dexter Avenue Montgomery, Alabama |
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| Coordinates | 32°22′38.26″N 86°18′9.53″W / 32.3772944°N 86.3026472°WCoordinates: 32°22′38.26″N 86°18′9.53″W / 32.3772944°N 86.3026472°W |
| Built | 1883-89 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian, Other |
| NRHP Reference # | 74000431 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | July 1, 1974 |
| Designated NHL | May 30, 1974 |
Dexter Avenue Baptist Church is a Baptist church in Montgomery, Alabama, United States. The church was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1974. On 1 January 2008 the US Government also submitted it to UNESCO as part of an envisaged future World Heritage nomination and as such it is on the so-called UNESCO 'Tentative List of World Heritage Sites'. In 1978 the official name was changed to the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church, in memory of Martin Luther King Jr., who helped to organize the Montgomery Bus Boycott in the church's basement. The church is located steps away from the Alabama State Capitol.
The Dexter Avenue Baptist Church congregation was organized in 1877 and was first known as the Second Colored Baptist Church. The church trustees paid $270 on January 30, 1879 for a lot at the corner of what is now Dexter Avenue and Decatur Street. The first church building was a small wood-frame building, it began to be replaced by the current structure in 1883. The new brick building was not completed until 1889. The church began serving the broader African American community on October 3, 1887 when it hosted the first registration of students for Alabama State University. This community service continued into the 20th century with activities associated with the American Civil Rights Movement. In 1899, Selma University cofounder William H. McAlpine became pastor. Vernon Johns, an early leader of the Civil Rights Movement, served as pastor from 1947 to 1952. He was succeeded by Martin Luther King, Jr., who was pastor of the church from 1954 to 1960, and organized the Montgomery Bus Boycott from his basement office.
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