Fifteenth Street Presbyterian Church (Washington, D.C.)

Established in 1841 by John F. Cook; formerly the First Colored Presbyterian Church.

From the description of Records, 1841-1890. (Moorland-Spingarn Resource Center). WorldCat record id: 70941348

The Fifteenth St. Presbyterian Church was organized when the white Presbyterian churches pressured their Negro members to withdraw. The church was received by the Presbytery the following year. John F. Cook was ordained as its first pastor in 1843, after having met the educational requirements of the Presbyterian Church.

John F. Cook, founder of the Fifteenth St. Presbyterian Church, had been a teacher in a private school for Negroes in Washington and a class leader in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. He was encouraged by the Rev. John C. Smith, pastor of the Fourth Presbyterian Church to became a Presbyterian and shortly after he was licensed by the Presbytery of the District of Columbia in 1841. He then called a meeting in his school room to explain the principles of Presbyterianism to a group of Negroes. At this meeting, following a sermon by the Rev. Mr. Stratton of Portsmouth, Virginia, some nineteen Negro members joined in forming a Presbyterian Church. Most of the original members were Presbyterians coming from local white Presbyterian churches in Washington, D.C.

From the guide to the Fifteenth St. Presbyterian Church Records, Washington, D.C., 1841-1890, (Moorland-Spingarn Research Center, Howard University)