On the last day of September 2023 we took the tour. The associate pastor gave the tour and he was great! We learned so much about the church in a very short time. The next day Sunday Oct. 1st we went there for the church service. We really enjoyed it. Even though we didn't have so called "church clothes" as we were enjoying a casual stay in Savannah they welcomed us with open arms. If you get the chance to take the tour and to visit on a Sunday I would encourage you to do both. You won't regret it. They seem to be a congregation that loves one another and reaching out to help those in need. Savannah is blessed to have them. Doing God's work is always a blessing. Thanks for letting us join you.

We had the pleasure of visiting the church last week. It was an awesome experience, because each time I learn more and more. The history of this church is amazing! The tour guide is very knowledgeable and has a great sense of humor. We met the pastor of the church while walking through town. He was so kind and personable. If you're visiting Savannah take the time to tour, or worship at the First African Baptist Church. You'll be enlightened!

We had an excellent experience here. Derrick, associate pastor, gave a wonderful history lesson to our group about how this church was built by enslaved people who also amazingly came up with the money for the materials. Derrick was also a lot of fun - this was a great group. We learned a LOT about lives of enslaved people, the churches where they were allowed to attend and worship, the bible they learned from, their circumstances of their lives. I probably learned more about slavery here than any other location in Savannah, and we actively sought that out, also going to the King-Tisdale Cottage (also very informative). We saw the holes in the floor in the lower level and learned the truth about their purpose. This was a great group experience to be a part of. We were there about and hour and a half. Derrick responded to all our questions also, which adds to the "tour."

Excellent experience that was rich with history of the formation and various time periods of church leadership. Derrick gave wonderful insight into the challenges and successes of the leadership of the church and its congregation as they thrived despite external influences and internal conflicts. The tour also enlightened participants about the inner workings of the Underground Railroad, architectural significance of the church, and resiliency of the faith which produced such a rich and unique history of people working together to leave such a rich legacy. This legacy was created in hope of a building a bridge of hope for others by slaves. Some of whom even had to reenlist themselves into indentured slavery to accomplish this vision. The church was more than just a religious structure but instead was crucial in governing, protection of the community, and providing finance for social economic prosperity for its congregation. I highly recommend this tour for all!

You must go!! Amazing tour and history, Our guide, Pastor Derrick was entertaining and informative. PLEASE park in their lot anytime in the area, they do so much with the funds from parking and tour. This church property was bought and paid for by congregants who literally sold their freedom for this undertaking.

We booked our tour online not sure if we could buy tickets at the church, and chose the Tuesday 1pm slot. Make sure you do your research as tours are not available every day. Minister Derrick was our guide, his is witty, compassionate, informed and informative, you could definitely hear the preacher in him during the tour! Photography is permitted but only after Min. Derrick has finished speaking which is respectful to him and others in your group. Very interesting history of the congregation and the building itself. The tour is scheduled to last 1 hour, however, if Minister Derrick engages with the group as he did on Tuesday, the tour can go over! The small cost of the entrance fee (compared to some other Savannah visits) goes towards the church's impressive outreach arm, helping those who are disadvantaged with a leg up. Great tour, I would definitely recommend it, whether you are a person of faith or not.

This was my third time touring this because the history is so amazing that I like to bring my friends when we go to Savannah. My previous time was April, 2023 and now I just went March, 2024. Unfortunately, the regular speakers for this were unavailable so they had someone from a different tour company step in. I was very disappointed. He knew much about history of Savannah but I don't feel he gave enough details about the history of the church. The guide last year, was superb. She told detailed stories of the difficulties of how this church came to be. It was an excellent history lesson and yet a harsh reality that made you really realize the sacrifices that the early founders and ministers went through to make this happen. I realize that each person might have their differences on what they focus but he directly contradicted several things. He said that the holes in the floor in the basement did not hide the enslaved people in the underground railroad. He said they holes were simply just there so the wood could breathe. The original person spoke of how only the enslaved women were allowed to get the bricks in the river because they were afraid the men would try to escape. I asked him about that and he said not true. Both men and women went. There were many other details that he changed but his explanation was that more information has come to light and that the narrative has changed. In general, he was interesting but I really wanted to hear more about the church itself and the beginnings. The previous speakers gave such an amazing historical background that made me think about it for long after I left. I would highly encourage a visit to this church. It was built by enslaved people who went through so much to build it. It is an important piece of Savannah's and America's history and should not be forgotten.

When we were planning our trip to Savannah, we had read about this church and its role in the "Underground Railroad". Coming from Canada and having studied the Underground Railroad in school, we added this to our list of things to see - especially the holes in the floor in the shape of an African prayer symbol. What we didn't realize at the time was that the church would be locked except when there was a tour. Thankfully, the parking attendant across the street saw us wandering around and popped over to tell us about the tour and the time to come back. We had not planned on joining a tour, we just wanted to look around and see inside the church (similar to what we do in Europe). We are so thankful that at that time the tour was the only option to see inside. Before being shown around this church, this 1-hour tour started with sitting in the pews and getting a history lesson. This talk and tour was truly one of the most engaging experiences. I think it is worth noting that I am not a history buff nor am I overly religious. Our tour guide (I can’t remember her name - is member of the church who has done her graduate studies on this topic) was highly entertaining and VERY knowledgeable. I am so glad we rearranged our schedule to fit this in. It was the highlight of our

Outstanding. You have to do the $12 tour to get the info. Otherwise you won’t understand the significance. The info was deep and heavy and powerful. The asst pastor led the tour. The sanctuary is beautiful and humbling. And you’ll be taken downstairs below the sanctuary. TAKE THIS TOUR

Pastor Derrek did a great job explaining the history of the church and was very entertaining. You could tell her really loves his church and the ministry that he serves. If you are looking for parking in Savannah use their parking lot as it supports the ministries of the church.