In the late 18th century, when enslaved Africans in America were forbidden to gather without white supervision, Andrew Bryan defied the law to preach the gospel. For daring to do so, he was brutally whipped and imprisoned, yet he refused to stop. His courage and faith eventually gave birth to one of the oldest Black congregations in America, the First African Baptist Church of Savannah.
Born in 1737 in Goose Creek, South Carolina, Bryan was enslaved on the Brampton plantation owned by Jonathan Bryan, one of the wealthiest planters in the region. He served as a coachman and body servant, but his spirit was shaped more by faith than servitude. Influenced by the preaching of George Liele, the first Black Baptist missionary, Bryan converted to Christianity and began spreading the gospel among enslaved Africans in Savannah.
After George Liele left for Jamaica, Andrew Bryan continued preaching along the Savannah River, drawing enslaved African men and women desperate for hope. But his growing congregation soon aroused white suspicion. In those days, nearly every gathering of Black people was viewed with fear, as many whites believed such meetings were secret plans for rebellion. Authorities raided Bryan’s services, accusing him of plotting an uprising. He and his brother Sampson were seized, savagely whipped until their flesh was torn open, and thrown into jail as an example to others who might dare to do the same.
When his enslaver, Jonathan Bryan, learned he had been jailed, he intervened on his behalf and secured his release. Though scarred and in pain, Andrew Bryan returned to preaching, this time from his master’s barn, where he allegedly spoke from sunrise to sunset to all who came seeking hope and salvation.
His perseverance was finally rewarded in 1788, when the congregation that had once worshiped in secret was officially recognized as the First African Baptist Church of Savannah, the first Black Baptist church in America. From just 69 members that year, the church grew to nearly 700 by 1800, earning the title “Mother Church of Black Baptists.”
After years of preaching under bondage, Andrew Bryan’s dedication began to win respect from a few influential white men, including his former enslaver’s family. When his owner, Jonathan Bryan died, he left Andrew 95 pounds sterling in his will. Andrew used part of that inheritance to purchase his freedom from Jonathan’s brother, William Bryan, finally breaking the legal chains that bound him. With the remaining money, he bought a piece of land from Thomas Gibbons, where he built a permanent home for his growing congregation.
Andrew Bryan continued to lead his congregation for the rest of his life. He preached for 24 years, guiding hundreds of followers who looked to him for guidance. Even in old age, he remained devoted to the pulpit until his health began to fail. On October 6, 1812, at the age of 92, Andrew Bryan passed away, leaving behind a church that had grown from secret gatherings in fields to a cornerstone of Black Christianity in America.
He was laid to rest in Whitefield Square in Savannah, where his grave still stands today. Carved on his tomb are the words that capture his unbreakable faith: “Rejoiced not only to be whipped, but would freely suffer death for the cause of Jesus Christ.”
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