| Southern Sanctuaries |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| Savannah Directory |
| Branded Hearts Baptist Church Rev. Kenneth Roche 512 Berrien Street 912-790-0610 |
| Connor's Temple Rev. Bennie Mitchell 509 W. Gwinnett St. 912-232-8291 |
| Faith Hope & Charity Rev. Jackie Grant 2501 Waters Avenue 912-234-4652 |
| First African Baptist Church Rev. Thurmond Tillman 23 Montgomery Street 912-233-6597 |
| First Bryan Baptist Church Rev. Edward L. Ellis 575 W. Bryan Street 912-232-5526 |
| Jonesville Baptist Church Rev. James Rodgers 501 Montgomery St. 912-351-0423 |
| Bunn Memorial Baptist Church Rev. Charlie Dilliard 620 Harmon Street 912-238-4848 |
| Litway Baptist Church Rev. Leonard Small 2335 Shell Road 912-355-1225 |
| Temple of Glory Community Church Bishop Odum 1105 Stiles Avenue 912-233-8213 |
| St. Paul CME Church Rev. D. Thurmond 1601 Barnard St. 912-233-2849 |
| SCROLL DOWN TO: -Prayed Up! - Novel Series -Ancient Religions & History -Economic Decline & Race Unity - Church Directory |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Abyssinia Baptist Church 1622 Ogeechee Rd. 912-234-1029 |
| To list your church, link your website, or have us create a web page for you HERE Phone 912-233-0809 or Email Your Request to: jah@southernscene.net |
| Second Arnold Baptist Church Rev. Richard Hall 1427 East 31 Street 912-234-5500 |
| DIRECTING YOU DOWN THE PATH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS SOUTHERN STYLE |
| AUGUST 2010 |
| First Mount Bethel Missionary Baptist Church Rev. James Williams 124 W. Anderson St. 912-234-4142 |
Ancient
RELIGIONS & HISTORY
LIFE LESSONS NOVEL SERIES
| THE BIG TRUTH |
| Chapter Nine "A Second New Beginning" |
| Mother Matilda Beasley |
| by Naomi Nyatuame |
| Ultimate Economic Decline Will Require Race Unity |
Prayed Up!
| Mother Matilda's Cottage at 1511 Price Street Build in 1901 |
| Mother Matilda Marker at Sacred Heart Catholic Church |
Matilda Taylor was born a slave in New Orleans in 1832. She later gained her freedom and
moved to Savannah, Georgia, where she ran a secrete school for black children in her
home. She worked at a restaurant on Bryan Street, then known as the Railroad House. It was
owned by a rich freeman named Abraham Beasley who also owned slaves and became her
husband in 1869. He owned land on the Isle of Hope, Skidaway Island and in the City of
Savannah. After his death in 1877, Matilda Beasley became extremely active in the Catholic
Church and went to a convent to train as a nun in England. Upon her return as Mother
Matilda Beasley, she was officially Georgia’s first black nun.
She donated her husband’s entire estate to the Sacred Heart Catholic Church of
Savannah. She requested that part of the funds be used for an orphanage for African
American children. She and the parish founded the St. Francis Home for Colored Orphans. It
was a home for African American girls located at the time on 31st and Habersham Streets
that opened in 1887. It was the first orphanage for Negro girls in the United States. Mother
Matilda also founded Georgia’s first group of black nuns who ran the orphanage under her
direction. The Sacred Heart congregation originally stood in the location next to the
orphanage until outgrowing the facilities and moving to its current site at 1707 Bull Street in
the early 1900s. In 1899 the orphanage was moved to East Broad Street, the current site of
St. Benedict the Moor Parish.
Toward the end of her life, when the orphanage fell on hard times, Mother Matilda
established fund-raising projects and used her profits from sewing to keep the home open.
In 1901 she moved in a cottage on 1511 Price Street, given to her by Sacred Heart in
recognition of her contributions to the church. She died in 1903 at the age of 71. Mother
Matilda Beasley never had children of her own and had herself been an orphan. Local
realtor, Dot Owens, had owned the cottage and donated it to the County Commission. The
dilapidated cottage, set for renovations, will be relocated on East Broad Street to a park now
named in her honor. It will serve as an educational center. The Mother Matilda Beasley
Society was founded to honor her amazing legacy.
moved to Savannah, Georgia, where she ran a secrete school for black children in her
home. She worked at a restaurant on Bryan Street, then known as the Railroad House. It was
owned by a rich freeman named Abraham Beasley who also owned slaves and became her
husband in 1869. He owned land on the Isle of Hope, Skidaway Island and in the City of
Savannah. After his death in 1877, Matilda Beasley became extremely active in the Catholic
Church and went to a convent to train as a nun in England. Upon her return as Mother
Matilda Beasley, she was officially Georgia’s first black nun.
She donated her husband’s entire estate to the Sacred Heart Catholic Church of
Savannah. She requested that part of the funds be used for an orphanage for African
American children. She and the parish founded the St. Francis Home for Colored Orphans. It
was a home for African American girls located at the time on 31st and Habersham Streets
that opened in 1887. It was the first orphanage for Negro girls in the United States. Mother
Matilda also founded Georgia’s first group of black nuns who ran the orphanage under her
direction. The Sacred Heart congregation originally stood in the location next to the
orphanage until outgrowing the facilities and moving to its current site at 1707 Bull Street in
the early 1900s. In 1899 the orphanage was moved to East Broad Street, the current site of
St. Benedict the Moor Parish.
Toward the end of her life, when the orphanage fell on hard times, Mother Matilda
established fund-raising projects and used her profits from sewing to keep the home open.
In 1901 she moved in a cottage on 1511 Price Street, given to her by Sacred Heart in
recognition of her contributions to the church. She died in 1903 at the age of 71. Mother
Matilda Beasley never had children of her own and had herself been an orphan. Local
realtor, Dot Owens, had owned the cottage and donated it to the County Commission. The
dilapidated cottage, set for renovations, will be relocated on East Broad Street to a park now
named in her honor. It will serve as an educational center. The Mother Matilda Beasley
Society was founded to honor her amazing legacy.
Racism is a clever, necessary, perceptual illusion created by capitalism. It served a fundamental purpose of separating the races when it was
decided that Africans would be the primary source of slave labor. Emancipated blacks competed with whites for slave wages, until they
became forced to accept these jobs almost exclusively.
We will all be driven to return to our early American roots when color was barely an issue and many African, Native, and European
Americans worked and lived together. Throughout the history of U.S. slavery, poor whites and blacks established an underground market place,
secretly trading goods each had easy access to. This they did to survive a system that was oppressing them both.
Today America is no longer the tower of economic strength she was just fifteen years ago, and as incomes, work conditions, benefits,
and lending steadily decline, inevitably, so will the standard of living. If government and corporate incompetence and greed continue to weaken
the economy, a grassroots reinvention of free enterprise could be imminent. Will we allow traditional, ridiculous prejudices to conquer us, or will
we recognize that God is the true source of all power, have faith, unite, and survive?
decided that Africans would be the primary source of slave labor. Emancipated blacks competed with whites for slave wages, until they
became forced to accept these jobs almost exclusively.
We will all be driven to return to our early American roots when color was barely an issue and many African, Native, and European
Americans worked and lived together. Throughout the history of U.S. slavery, poor whites and blacks established an underground market place,
secretly trading goods each had easy access to. This they did to survive a system that was oppressing them both.
Today America is no longer the tower of economic strength she was just fifteen years ago, and as incomes, work conditions, benefits,
and lending steadily decline, inevitably, so will the standard of living. If government and corporate incompetence and greed continue to weaken
the economy, a grassroots reinvention of free enterprise could be imminent. Will we allow traditional, ridiculous prejudices to conquer us, or will
we recognize that God is the true source of all power, have faith, unite, and survive?
It wasn’t more than six months since Rev. Simon started his own church after splitting up Claytonville
Baptist, his former sanctuary. About a quarter of the flock left with him to build a new spiritual home. With most
of his personal finances, the Rev. made major repairs to a building that had been an orphanage over 100 years
ago. After expenses, including the pastor’s salary, the church of 200 members took in over $10,000 each month.
He had many noble plans for these resources.
“Well, you’ve been real busy since you infiltrated our church, haven’t you?” “What in the… name of Jehovah
are you even doin’ here?!” Rev. Simon asked former church member, Sister Parker, who barged her way into his
office. “I just wanted to personally let you know that Claytonville is going to sue. You thought you were gonna
just ride off and take our members? I don’t think so!” she spat. The Rev. looked puzzled for a moment. “Did you
forget the last conversation I had with you and the board members? You practically asked me to leave. But wait
a minute. I get it. You’re missing the cash flow. The members who chose to leave with me were your top tithers.
God sho’ is good, ain’t He?”
Baptist, his former sanctuary. About a quarter of the flock left with him to build a new spiritual home. With most
of his personal finances, the Rev. made major repairs to a building that had been an orphanage over 100 years
ago. After expenses, including the pastor’s salary, the church of 200 members took in over $10,000 each month.
He had many noble plans for these resources.
“Well, you’ve been real busy since you infiltrated our church, haven’t you?” “What in the… name of Jehovah
are you even doin’ here?!” Rev. Simon asked former church member, Sister Parker, who barged her way into his
office. “I just wanted to personally let you know that Claytonville is going to sue. You thought you were gonna
just ride off and take our members? I don’t think so!” she spat. The Rev. looked puzzled for a moment. “Did you
forget the last conversation I had with you and the board members? You practically asked me to leave. But wait
a minute. I get it. You’re missing the cash flow. The members who chose to leave with me were your top tithers.
God sho’ is good, ain’t He?”