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5
<br /> 1 WHEREAS, prior to the emancipation of African-American slaves, a group of "coloured" men
<br /> 2 and women held membership and worshipped at the former Hillsborough Baptist Church, now
<br /> 3 the First Baptist Church of Hillsborough; and
<br /> 4
<br /> 5 WHEREAS, London, a slave of S. Moon, was the first African-American accepted for
<br /> 6 membership at Hillsborough Baptist Church; and
<br /> 7
<br /> 8 WHEREAS, the African-American congregation continued to meet at the church from 1866 until
<br /> 9 April 1868, when they voluntarily withdrew their fellowship to form a church of their own; and
<br /> 10
<br /> 11 WHEREAS, minutes from the First Baptist Church records read: "The coloured members of the
<br /> 12 church with the exception of Bro. Lewis Jenkins having voluntarily withdrawn their fellowship
<br /> 13 from us for the purpose of organizing a church of their own, therefore, we recommend that their
<br /> 14 names be stricken from the roll and that we recognize them as a separate and distinct church";
<br /> 15 and
<br /> 16
<br /> 17 WHEREAS, twenty [20] members subsequently formed a congregation under the leadership of
<br /> 18 Reverend Alfred E. Bright, hence the name, Mount Bright Baptist Church, and they met in the
<br /> 19 homes of one another; and
<br /> 20
<br /> 21 WHEREAS, in 1845, Susannah W. Graham, widow of William Graham, former governor of
<br /> 22 North Carolina, donated land to build the first church structure, and which was erected in 1906;
<br /> 23 and
<br /> 24
<br /> 25 WHEREAS, the original members of Mt. Bright Baptist Church included: Mars Whitted, Ed
<br /> 26 Bolden, George Smith, Jim Thompson, George Craig, Mark Long, Marsh Dixon, London
<br /> 27 Robinson, Martin Whitted, Anderson Henderson, Alston Whitted, Daniel Latta, Sr., Annie
<br /> 28 Alston, Julia Craig, Peggie Clemons, Beanie Moore, Millie Robinson, Peggie Faribault, Jane
<br /> 29 Whitted and Fannie M. Whitted; and
<br /> 30
<br /> 31 WHEREAS, when the first building had to be demolished, church members constructed and
<br /> 32 dedicated a new structure in 1979, at 211 West Union Street in Hillsborough, North Carolina;
<br /> 33 and
<br /> 34
<br /> 35 WHEREAS, through the years, the Mt. Bright Missionary Baptist Church congregation has
<br /> 36 contributed to the social well-being of Orange County, and continues to hold special events to
<br /> 37 provide needed resources to individuals and families throughout the Orange County
<br /> 38 community;
<br /> 39
<br /> 40 NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Orange County Board of County
<br /> 41 Commissioners commends the services and achievements of the members, past and present,
<br /> 42 of the Mount Bright Missionary Baptist Church over the past 150 years; and
<br /> 43
<br /> 44 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Orange County Board of County Commissioners
<br /> 45 congratulates the members of Mount Bright Missionary Baptist Church on their
<br /> 46 Sesquicentennial Anniversary, with the Reverend Melvin Gattis as Associate Minister, and the
<br /> 47 Reverend Sharon Shanklin Freeland as Associate Minister and Church Administrator; and
<br /> 48
<br /> 49 BE IT MOREOVER RESOLVED, that Mount Bright Missionary Baptist Church is hereby
<br /> 50 recognized by the Orange County Board of County Commissioners as a pillar in the community,
<br />
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