Founded in 1867 by newly freed slaves, Springfield Baptist Church is the oldest historically Black Baptist church in Greenville, South Carolina. The church is still active in the community.
In addition to being a center for spiritual growth, Springfield Baptist Church was headquarters for non-violent civil rights protests in the 1960s. The church became pivotal in the movement on January 1, 1960 with a peaceful march from the church to the Greenville Downtown Airport. The march was organized after the keynote speaker for a state NAACP convention, Jackie Robinson, the first Black Major League Baseball player, was denied use of the airport’s waiting room.
