congressional_record: CREC-2017-09-05-pt1-PgE1159
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| granule_id | date | congress | session | volume | issue | title | chamber | granule_class | sub_granule_class | page_start | page_end | speakers | bills | citation | full_text |
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| CREC-2017-09-05-pt1-PgE1159 | 2017-09-05 | 115 | 1 | SIXTH MOUNT ZION BAPTIST CHURCH SESQUICENTENNIAL | HOUSE | EXTENSIONS | ALLOTHER | E1159 | E1159 | [{"name": "A. Donald McEachin", "role": "speaking"}] | 163 Cong. Rec. E1159 | Congressional Record, Volume 163 Issue 142 (Tuesday, September 5, 2017) [Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 142 (Tuesday, September 5, 2017)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E1159] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] SIXTH MOUNT ZION BAPTIST CHURCH SESQUICENTENNIAL ______ HON. A. DONALD McEACHIN of virginia in the house of representatives Tuesday, September 5, 2017 Mr. McEACHIN. Mr. Speaker, Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church was founded in 1867 by the Reverend John Jasper in an abandoned confederate horse stable on Brown's Island, along the shores of the James River. Credited as the first church in Richmond organized by an African- American preacher, it relocated to its current space in downtown Richmond in 1869. Jasper's charismatic ministry drew increasingly large crowds, and his sermon ``De Sun Do Move'' became well-known both in the United States and internationally. His speaking talents and powerful faith brought flocks of black and white Richmonders alike to the church, listening and celebrating together. Six more pastors have led Sixth Mount Zion during its long history, including Dr. Augustus Walter who served for over forty-three years until his death in 1967. Greatly admired for his leadership and faithful dedication, Dr. Walter was instrumental in defending the church from destruction when Interstate 95 was built in downtown Richmond in 1957. Sixth Mount Zion is one of the nation's pioneers in the field of religious historic preservation, and opened its John Jasper Memorial Room and Museum in January 1926. It contains bibles, books, paintings, clothing, ceremonial artifacts, and furniture from the church's rich history. Among these items are a golden bust of Jasper made in 1904, a rare stone from Mount Zion in Jerusalem, and a quilt commemorating the church's 130th anniversary. The Commonwealth of Virginia has recognized the church's rich history with two highway markers--one at the church site and another in Fluvanna County near John Jasper's birthplace. Residing within the historic Jackson Ward District, the church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register. In 2004, the Richmond City Council honored the church with a special designation as a local ``historic district' encompassing the 3 acres of land on which it stands, the only black church in Richmond to receive this distinction. For 150 years, Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church has been a central institution in Richmond and Virginia, supporting its members and the wider community through growth and hardship. It has addressed the social concerns of the city's residents, and was one of the first black churches to have an organized charity with a staff social worker to administer to the indigent of the city. It continues to assist individuals and families with the resources necessary to overcome obstacles that prevent them from achieving personal, social, and economic goals. ____________________ |