St. John Baptist Church was conceptualized in 1919 and incorporated on September 21, 1920. Its site was purchased in 1926. The founding members and families worked diligently to erect a building that would bring a small but growing African-American community together for praise and worship. Because the congregation had meager and limited resources, the church was constructed in stages. The basement level was started in 1919 and served as the congregation’s sanctuary worshiping space for 19 years. Congregational visionaries labored for several more years to construct the current church structure. Its construction was unique because it used limestone blocks, windows, and other building materials recovered and purchased for $600 from the demolished former elementary grant school that once stood at 503 6th Street SW. After the school was razed in 1937, additional building materials from the site were purchased for $1100 after a tag day sale. A distinctive building block from the razed school lies upside down on the rear of the church and reads “schoo“. The upper level was completed in 1939, and the complete church was dedicated on September 29, 1940. The current building stands as the result of the vision and labor of Building Committee members Mrs. Reed Allen, President William B. Martin, Treasurer Rev. J. Lee Lewis, Advisor Overton H. Burrell, James T. Jeffries, Arron E. Macer, Benjamin F. Parker, and pastor Rev. James M. Eaves.