1916-1917 directory

North Oakland Missionary Baptist Church is at 1060 - 32nd Street. It was organized in 1904-1905 as Richard Clark Memorial Church before becoming North Oakland Baptist Church. It has been at the current location since c.1922.

Rev. James A. Dennis 7

Pastor Years Notes
Rev. James A. Dennis 1905-1908 4
Rev. C. X. Laws   4
Rev. T. M. Davis 1913 3
Rev. Brown   4
Rev. Dr. G. C. Coleman 1913-1942 1,2,4
Rev. Ansel Ogden Bell 1942-1967 1,4died 1972
Rev. Claude B. Murray 1967-1982 4
Rev. Sylvester Rutledge 1982-1984 4
Rev. Lloyd C. Blue 1984-1990 4
Rev. Sylvester Rutledge 1991-? 1

The church first met in the homes of members. By 1913, it was at 843 - 29th near San Pablo. 3

Sometime around 1921 they took over the building at 32nd and Linden which had been home to St. Paul's English Evangelical Lutheran Church. In 1930, the church building burned, but the congregation soon rebuilt. 5

1930 5

A speech by Barbara Lee 1 honoring the church and From Labor to Reward 4 also say it was also North Oakland Church of Christ for a time, but that was a separate church which used the old building. 6 The old building on 29th is now home to the True Gospel Missionary Baptist Church.

2020 CC SA-BY Our Oakland

[ need an image of the new building at 32nd and Linden ]

Links and References

  1. Honoring North Oakland Missionary Baptist Church Congressional Record, Volume 151, Number 114
  2. Polk's Oakland 1939 directory
  3. Polk-Husted 1913 directory
  4. North Oakland Baptist Church From Labor to Reward by Martha C. Taylor Resource Publications, Eugene, Oregon
  5. Fire Destroys Church Here Oakland Tribune July 30, 1930
  6. Polk's Oakland 1935 directory
  7. MS189_1402 African American Museum and Library at Oakland
  8. Interview with Iantha H. Villa, North Oakland Baptist Church... African American Museum and Library at Oakland