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First Baptist Church in the city of Louisville was a White congregation; now known as Walnut Street Baptist Church. This organization had its beginning in the year 1815, just five years after Louisville became a city. As was the customer in most southern communities, Negro slaves were admitted as members, with very limited privileges and assigned to seats in the balcony.
In the year 1829, on the first Sunday in November, 18 slave members were given letters of demission and were granted privilege of worshipping to themselves, “under their vine and fig tree”.
The location of the new church was in the neighborhood of 8th and Market. But in the year 1829, a call was extended to Rev. Henry Adams, a highly educated Negro, living in Georgia. Under this leadership, the congregation continued to grow, and soon new quarters were sought. In 1833, a White friend, by the name of Benjamin Stansburg, deeded to the congregation a lot at Fifth and York Streets, where upon the first building owned by Negroes, in the city of Louisville, was erected. The congregation continued to grow in favor with God and man.
In fullness of time there arose a need for more commodious quarters, which was fulfilled by the availability of a building on Fifth Street, between Walnut and Chestnut. The First Christian Church, having moved to another location, sold the property to Fifth Street Baptist Church for the sum of $5,000. By 1845, then name of the church had changed, but the congregation remained the same.
The Rev. Henry Adams departed this life in the year of our Lord 1872, after having served as Pastor for 33 years. The General Association, first known as the State Convention, was organized August 15, 1865, at Fifth Street Baptist Church. Also, the first school for Negroes in the city of Louisville was organized and taught by the Rev. Adams at Fifth Street Baptist Church. Rev. Adams was also instrumental in organizing the Colored Baptists Church of Jeffersontown, KY.

The Rev. Henry Adams departed this life in the year of our Lord 1872, after having served as Pastor for 33 years. The General Association, first known as the State Convention, was organized August 15, 1865, at Fifth Street Baptist Church. Also, the first school for Negroes in the city of Louisville was organized and taught by the Rev. Adams at Fifth Street Baptist Church. Rev. Adams was also instrumental in organizing the Colored Baptists Church of Jeffersontown, KY.

The Rev, Andrew H. Heath, a son of the church, and protégé of Rev. Adams, was call to shoulder the burdens of pasturing (1872-1886). It is reliably reported that Rev. Heath’s administration was phenomenally successful. The Baptist Women’s Educational Convention was organized during this administration on September 18, 1883. Rev. heath. Was a zealous worker, consecrated and dedicated to the Gospel ministry His health soon became impaired, and after fourteen years of arduous toil, he was laid to rest.

Following a precedent already established, another son of the church, the Rev. John H. Frank, was elevated to the high position of leadership. The membership grew to and unprecedented high early in this administration. The Baptist Women’s Convention had its inception there, as well as the National Baptist Convention of America, the Laymen’s League of Kentucky, and the City Wide Deacons’ Union. Dr. Frank had the longest tenure of office, serving as Pastor fifty years, after which time the church made him Pastor-Emeritus. As such, he remained among us for another two years. After life’s long fitful fever has ended, he too was laid to rest, just six days after the passing of his son John, Jr. March 23, 1941, which brought to a close one of the most outstanding pastorates among Negro Baptists.

The church extended a call to the Rev. W. Augustus Jones, who was pasturing the Pinn memorial Baptist Church of Philadelphia, PA. Rev. Jones was a son of the church, having been nurtured and trained by the late Dr. Frank. Rev. Jones accepted the call and began his ministry midyear of 1937. For 19 years, Rev. Jones toiled among the people, endeavoring to rehabilitate the work and bring about reforms vitally necessary in these modern times.

Dr. Jones, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, not only paid off the indebtedness incurred from remodeling the Fifth Street site, but also brought us to this present site in 1949. When Dr. Jones retired in 1956, the church made him Pastor-Emeritus, and voted to him a lifelong pension. Fifth Street has had some outstanding laymen— male and female representatives in all the high walk of life. The late William H. Steward was perhaps “the noblest Roman of them all”. He was Secretary of the General Association of Kentucky Baptists for more that fifty years, and Secretary of the National Baptist Convention, Inc. On January 4, 1935, he departed the walks of men and passed on to his eternal reward.
After the retirement of Dr. Jones, the Rev. J. Walter Ramsey, by vote of the church was chosen as acting pastor and held forces together until the church extended a call to Rev. W. J. Hodge of Virginia in April 12, 1957. Of his many accomplishments, the planning and construction of the J.O. Blanton House stands out. Under his guidance, the church has added a new wing that includes a Pastor and Secretary’s office, dining facilities, a kitchen, and additional space for Sunday School. Other physical additions are central air conditioning and new buses. Rev. W.J. Hodge served as Pastor for 38 years. On December 26, 2000, Dr. W.J. Hodge also departed from us to a building not made by man.

Rev. Phillip L. Hodge, Sr., a son of the church, was called in 1995. Since Rev. Phillip L. Hodge came to historic Fifth Street, the former parsonage next door has been renovated and re-opened as the Marion T. Hodge Center for Excellence, where programs for the church as well as the community are flourishing. With acquiring the lot next to the church, the parking lot has also been expanded. His twelfth anniversary was celebrated in July and the new “Fifth”, as he fondly speaks of it, is growing both spiritually and physically.

We look forward to celebrating our yearly anniversary as we press towards the mark of striving to “Lift the Curse through Obedience” for an “Excellent God”.