St. Paul Baptist Church
National Register Listing
Street Address:
322 W. Reed Street, Anderson, SC (Anderson County)
Alternate Name:
St. Paul First Baptist Church, St. Paul's Baptist Church
NRHP Nomination Form
Record Number:
S10817704028
Description and Narrative:
St. Paul Baptist Church is a historically Black church in Anderson. The brick Gothic Revival church was built in 1903 on the site of an earlier wooden sanctuary and heavily remodeled in 1953. The building has a cross-gable roof and an asymmetrical T-shaped plan, a fifty-foot tower, and stained glass windows. A one-story 1953 addition is located on the north side of the church. A wood-frame, one-and-a-half-story Craftsman bungalow constructed c. 1922 sits to the east of the church and has served as the church's parsonage since its completion. The Dr. James O. Rich Education Center, a Modern masonry gymnasium and education building built in 1976, stands north of the church. St. Paul Baptist Church is significant for its associations with local civil rights activism and as the home and workplace of local civil rights leader Reverend James O. Rich. The church became pivotal in the Civil Rights Movement in Anderson under the leadership of Rich, who became its pastor in 1960. Under Rich's leadership, the church supported the upward social and economic mobility of the local Black community. The church served as a meeting place for political activities and marches. While serving as the reverend of St. Paul and living within the adjacent parsonage, Rich served as president of the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) for nineteen years. His history of activism included running for local office as the city’s first Black candidate since Reconstruction, leading a major protest against discrimination at the post office, and advocating for affordable housing. He was instrumental in advancing the civil rights of African Americans in Anderson during his lifetime. Listed in the National Register May 22, 2026.
Period of Significance:
1960 – 1976
Level of Significance:
Local
Area of Significance:
Ethnic Heritage: Black;Social History
National Register Determination:
listed
Date of Certification:
2026-05-22
Date of Boundary Increase:
No Boundary Increase
Location:
Anderson;Anderson County
