Established by freedmen on Sapelo Island the year after the Civil War ended, the congregation at Raccoon Bluff built the present structure from lumber that washed ashore after the hurricane of 1898. Abandoned from 1968 until 2000, it was restored through efforts of the Sapelo Island Cultural and Revitalization Society, the state of Georgia, and student from the Savannah College of Art & Design. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and its restoration represents one of the most significant efforts to preserve African-American history in Georgia, more importantly a tangible link to the Geechee-Gullah culture of the Sea Islands.
The congregation moved into its current home, in Hog Hammock, during the 1960s. Follow the link for an image:
http://vanishingcoastalgeorgia.com/2012/09/18/first-african-baptist-church-2/
Sapelo Island, Georgia
