Walking the Talk

Ulysses Houston

​Ulysses Houston pastor of Savannah’s First Bryan Baptist Church during the Reconstruction era was not just a pastor of sermons but of action too. He was born a slave in South Carolina. He was taken by his master to Savannah to serve as a house servant. After he was freed he worked in the city’s hospital. He learned to read from white sailors while working there.
As many literate and capable black leaders he was attracted to the ministry. The black churches were the most prominent entity in black life. He was licensed to preach in 1855. In 1861 Rev. Ulysses L. Houston became pastor of First Bryan between 1861 to 1889. The church grew during his time as pastor. As he served as pastor, he also served twice as president of the black Baptists in Georgia.
As an influential minister he was one of 16 black church leaders who met with Gen. Sherman and Defense Secretary Edwin M. Stanton in 1865. In this meeting the black representatives told the two representatives of Lincoln’s administrative that the primary thing former slaves and other blacks needed was land to farm. This request would lead to Sherman’s fabled forty acres and a mule But for now  land belonging to those who rose up in rebellion against the federal government had already been declared "abandoned" by an act of Congress .Sherman ordered 400,000 acres of land on the coast from Charleston to the border of Florida and Georgia St. John’s River be redistributed to the former slaves.
With this new order from Sherman, Houston rushed to take advantage of it. He led 1,000 blacks to Skidaway Island, Ga on of the barrier islands off the shore of Savannah where they established a self-governing community. Houston was declared the “black governor.” They farmed and raised crops on the island until 1866 when whites regained the land.
In 1868, during Reconstruction, Houston was elected to the Georgia State Legislature. He was one of thirty-three blacks who were elected. They are now called the ‘Original 33’. The ‘Original 33’ were all expelled or through violence or the threat of violence were forced to resign by the white community. A monument called “The Expelled Because of Their Color" sits on state Capitol property. The names of the thirty-three men are inscribed on it.
Houston Baptist Church in Port Wentworth (small town outside of Savannah) and its adjoining cemetery were organized in 1886. It was obviously named after Houston. The church is built like a plantation praise house. While the church disbanded a while back it now serves as a small museum of the history of Port Wentworth.
Houston led a life of service to his community and demonstrated the Gospel not only through his words but also through his actions.
 

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Houston Baptist Church in Port Wentworth

'The Expelled because of Their Color' Monument on Georgia State Capitol Grounds