Olivet Baptist Church Records
Descriptive Summary
- Repository
-
Chicago History Museum
Research Center1601 North Clark StreetChicago, IL 60614-6038
- Creator
- Olivet Baptist Church
- Bib number
- 00145617
- Title
- Olivet Baptist Church Records
- Dates
- ca. 1942-1972
- Quantity
- 5.4 linear feet (12 boxes)
- Call number
- MSS Lot O
- Language
- English
Restriction(s)
Research use of this collection is governed by the standard rules and regulations of the Chicago History Museum, Research Center.
Terms governing use
Copyright may be retained by the creators of items, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law, unless otherwise noted.
Provenance statement
Gift of Rev. Dr. Michael A. Noble, Sr., of Olivet Baptist Church 2000.0196.
Please cite this collection as
Olivet Baptist Church (Chicago, Ill.) records (Chicago History Museum) plus a detailed description, date, and box/folder number of a specific item.
Collection Summary
Ledgers, minutes, scrapbooks, correspondence, sermons, and other records of Olivet Baptist Church based at 3101 South King Drive, on Chicago's South Side. The collection includes writings by and about Olivet's famous ministers: Dr. L. K. Williams (1916-1940) and Dr. J. H. Jackson (1941-1990); ledgers listing members; minutes and other records of its missionary efforts, which reached out to other African Americans as well as to African congregations with material, financial, and spiritual aid; Sunday School ledgers; and Deacon's Sick Committee ledgers. Also present are records relating to the periods when Williams and Jackson (1953-1982) served as presidents of the National Baptist Convention, U.S.A. Scrapbooks especially portray Jackson's varied career and his role as a conservative African American leader during the civil rights movement of the 1960s.
Biographical/historical note
Olivet Baptist Church (Chicago, Ill.): Olivet Baptist Church was formed when Zoar Baptist Church and Mt. Zion Baptist Church united in 1860. Zoar began in April 1850, when Samuel McCoy, John Larmon, and Sallie Jackson organized the Xenia Baptist Church, shortly renamed Zoar Baptist Church. When Olivet was formed it resided in a building at Harrison Street and Griswald Street (later known as LaSalle Street). This church building was sold in 1883, and Olivet moved to the Dearborn-Polk Street Station. In 1884, the church reincorporated because the original incorporation papers were destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. In the late 1910s, Olivet rose to national and international prominence as the largest Protestant congregation in the world. In 1918, the congregation moved to its present building at 3101 South King Drive. The church continued to grow during the first half of the 20th century, reaching a membership of 20,000 in 1941. However, starting with the political and social turmoil in the late 1950s, the church suffered marked decline in membership that continued through the 1990s.
Separated material
Separated material includes the Olivet Baptist Church photograph collection (2000.0196)
Other Finding Aids
Finding aid also submitted to Explore Chicago Collections portal.
Indexed Terms
- African American clergy--20th century
- African American clergy--Illinois--Chicago--20th century
- African American Baptists--Illinois--Chicago--20th century
- African Americans--Illinois--Chicago--Religion--20th century
- Baptists--Illinois--Chicago--20th century
- Missionary work--Africa--20th century
- Williams, Lacey Kirk. 1871-1941--Archives
- Jackson, J. H. (Joseph Harrison), 1900-1990--Archives
- National Baptist Convention of the United States of America
- National Baptist Convention of the United States of America--Archives
- Olivet Baptist Church (Chicago, Ill.)--Archives
- Freedom Farm (Sommerville, Tenn.)
- 3101 South Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Drive (Chicago, Ill.)
- Chicago (Ill.)-- Religious life and customs--20th century
- Chicago (Ill.)--Social conditions--20th century
- Douglas (Chicago, Ill.)--Social conditions--20th century
- South Side (Chicago, Ill.)
- Africa--Description and travel--20th century
- Europe--Description and travel--20th century
- Biography
- Correspondence
- Lists
- Membership lists
- Minutes
- Scrapbooks
- Sermons
Organization and Arrangement of Collection
The collection is arranged physically into one series.
Series 1: Administrative and miscellaneous materials (box 1-12)
This series contains the administrative and miscellaneous materials of the Olivet Baptist Church in Chicago. It contains minutes of committees in the Church, including the Olivet Missionary Society. It contains biographical sketches of famous ministers of the church, including Dr. J.H. Jackson. Additionally, financial records of the Church's activites are present, including the Church's Sunday School and Missionary activity.
Detailed list of contents of the collection
- Title
- Administrative and miscellaneous materials
- Dates
- 1942-1972
- Title
- Biographical sketches of Dr. J.H. Jackson
- Title
- Miscellaneous publications by J. H. Jackson
- Dates
- 1942-1972
- Title
- Miscellaneous publications about J.H. Jackson
- Dates
- 1953-1957
- Title
- Documents regarding J.H. Jackson, trip to Romania
- Dates
- August 1956
- Title
- Documents regarding J.H. Jackson, On Call For Life
- Dates
- 1958-1959
- Title
- Articles and news clippings regarding J.H. Jackson
- Dates
- 1958-1966
- Dates
- 1990
- Title
- Correspondence regarding awards and honors for J.H. Jackson, 1986-1987
- Dates
- 1986-1987
- Title
- Statement by J.H. Jackson during press conference in Gulfport, MS
- Dates
- July 1987
- Title
- The Man and His Religion, J.H. Jackson
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Audit report, Olivet Baptist Church
- Dates
- 1959
- Title
- Easement between Olivet Baptist Church and Commonwealth Edison
- Dates
- 1960
- Title
- Members who contributed to special drive for removal of steeple
- Dates
- 1966
- Title
- Membership ledger, National Baptist Brotherhood of Andrew and Peter, of Olivet Baptist Church
- Dates
- 1917-1935
- Title
- Misc. material regarding Olivet Baptist Church members
- Dates
- 1946
- Dates
- 1960
- Title
- Documents regarding construction at Olivet Baptist Church
- Dates
- 1960-1961
- Title
- Documents regarding tax and legal matters for Olivet Baptist Church
- Dates
- 1961
- Title
- Administrative and miscellaneous materials
- Dates
- 1943-1962
- Title
- Members register, Olivet Baptist Church
- Dates
- undated
- Title
- Olivet Baptist Church Book of Remembrance
- Dates
- 1943
- Title
- Ledger, Olivet Baptist Church building fund
- Dates
- 1959-1962
- Title
- Administrative and miscellaneous materials
- Dates
- 1930-1963
- Title
- Minutes, Olivet Baptist Church regular meetings
- Dates
- 1930-1943
- Title
- New members register, Olivet Baptist Church
- Dates
- 1942-1946
- Title
- New members register, Olivet Baptist Church
- Dates
- 1947-1963
- Title
- Financial record of insurance policies, Olivet Baptist Church
- Dates
- 1962-1963
- Title
- Administrative and miscellaneous materials
- Dates
- 1940-1961
- Title
- Minutes, Deacon's Sick Committee of Olivet Baptist Church
- Dates
- 1940-1943
- Title
- Minutes, Deacon's Sick Committee of Olivet Baptist Church
- Dates
- 1944-1948
- Title
- Minutes, Deacon's Sick Committee of Olivet Baptist Church
- Dates
- 1948-1953
- Title
- Minutes, Deacon's Sick Committee of Olivet Baptist Church
- Dates
- 1954-1961
- Title
- Administrative and miscellaneous materials
- Dates
- 1924-1960
- Title
- Ledger, Olivet Baptist Church school receipts and salary
- Dates
- 1959-1960
- Title
- Ledger, Olivet Baptist Church Sunday School Financial Report
- Dates
- 1924-1943
- Title
- Administrative and miscellaneous materials
- Dates
- 1924-1936
- Title
- Ledger, Olivet Baptist Church Sunday School
- Dates
- 1924-1936
- Title
- Ledger, Olivet Baptist Church Sunday School financial report
- Dates
- 1924-1936
- Title
- Administrative and miscellaneous materials
- Dates
- 1937-1961
- Title
- Minutes, Olivet Missionary Society
- Dates
- 1937-1940
- Title
- Minutes, Olivet Missionary Society
- Dates
- 1953-1954
- Title
- Minutes, Olivet Missionary Society
- Dates
- 1954-1955
- Title
- Minutes, Olivet Missionary Society
- Dates
- 1957-1959
- Title
- Minutes, Olivet Missionary Society
- Dates
- 1959-1961
- Title
- Administrative and miscellaneous materials
- Dates
- 1961-1969
- Title
- Minutes, Olivet Missionary Society
- Dates
- 1961-1962
- Title
- Minutes, Olivet Missionary Society
- Dates
- 1962-1963
- Title
- Minutes, Olivet Missionary Society
- Dates
- 1963-1964
- Title
- Minutes, Olivet Missionary Society
- Dates
- 1964-1965
- Title
- Minutes, Olivet Missionary Society
- Dates
- 1966-1967
- Title
- Minutes, Olivet Missionary Society
- Dates
- 1967-1968
- Title
- Minutes, Olivet Missionary Society
- Dates
- 1968-1969
- Title
- Administrative and miscellaneous materials
- Dates
- 1928-1972
- Title
- Minutes, Olivet Missionary Society
- Dates
- 1969-1971
- Title
- Minutes, Olivet Missionary Society
- Dates
- 1971-1972
- Title
- Roll book, Senior Missionary Circle of Olivet Baptist Church
- Dates
- 1928-1933
- Title
- Ledger, Olivet Senior Missionary Circle, financial records
- Dates
- 1942-1945
- Title
- Ledger, Olivet Senior Missionary Circle, financial records
- Dates
- 1943-1946
- Title
- Administrative and miscellaneous materials
- Dates
- 1915-1982
- Title
- Clippings regarding 75th Anniversary of First Baptist Church
- Dates
- 1909
- Title
- Charter of the National Baptist Convention (reprints)
- Dates
- 1915
- Title
- Annual address of President J.H. Jackson at the National Baptist Convention
- Dates
- 1959-1971
- Title
- Annual address of President J.H. Jackson at the National Baptist Convention
- Dates
- 1972-1982
- Title
- Scrapbook, National Baptist Convention
- Dates
- September 1959
- Title
- Record of certificates, National Baptist Convention retirement savings fund
- Dates
- 1958-1960
- Title
- Administrative and miscellaneous materials
- Dates
- 1943-1961
- Title
- Minutes, Olivet Baptist Church business meetings
- Dates
- 1943-1951
- Title
- Record book, church council, and annual business meeting, Olivet Baptist Church
- Dates
- 1957-1961
- Title
- Administrative and miscellaneous materials
- Dates
- 1953-1982
- Title
- Financial record, Million Dollar Drive Campaign
- Dates
- 1953-1957
- Title
- Scrapbook, National Baptist Convention
- Dates
- 1958-1960
- Title
- Scrapbook, National Baptist Convention
- Dates
- 1955-1956
- Title
- Scrapbook, National Baptist Convention, World Council of Churches
- Dates
- 1953-1955
- Title
- Certificate, Honorary Citizen of New Orleans
- Dates
- 1978
- Title
- Print, White House, signed by Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter
- Title
- Presidential proclamations, National Day of Prayer
- Dates
- 1978
- Dates
- 1982