Macedonia Baptist Church, the first African-American Baptist church in Barnwell County, was founded in 1866 when Rev. James T. Tolbert preached in Blackville under a brush arbor, and its first sanctuary was built in 1868. It hosted the first state convention of black Baptists there in 1875, built its second sanctuary by 1887, and its present sanctuary was built there in 1976. It became the mother church of eight churches founded from 1867 to 1922: Ebenezer, Frost Branch, Pilgrim Rest, St. Peter, Sunshine, Tabernacle, Shrub Branch, and Central. The Macedonia Baptist Association, which promoted the education of area blacks, opened Macedonia School nearby in 1890. Macedonia High School was built there in 1954 and taught grades 1 through 12 until 1970, when it became Macedonia Middle School.