Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church

The Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church was reorganized in 1919 under the leadership of Rev. Alonzo Higgins at 19th and Brooklyn. At the death of Pastor Alonzo Higgins, Rev. Jesse Higgins was called. In 1927 the church moved to 24th and Tracy. In 1929, a small framed church was purchased at the corner of 22nd and Olive.

In 1941 Rev. Jesse Higgins passed away and Rev. Grady Strickland was called to pastor Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church. He served a brief tenure from 1941 to 1943.
In 1943 Rev. J. E. Lloyd was called to pastor. Under the leadership of Rev. Lloyd the old building was torn down and construction began on a new edifice. The membership had grown to 90 and many of the members helped to do the work on the new building. While the new building was under construction services were held in the small auditorium of Morning Star Baptist Church located at 27th and Wabash. Construction was completed in December of 1952.

In 1976 Pastor Lloyd retired to Pastor Emeritus. Reverend John W. Arnold was called to serve as pastor in 1977. Under his leadership the Mass Choir was organized. The membership had grown to over 200. Plans were made to build a new edifice on Brooklyn. Rev. Arnold served as pastor until 1980. In 1981 Rev. L Henderson Bell began his pastoral duties the first Sunday in April. Under his leadership plans to construct a new edifice at 2200 Olive were finalized. In August 1983 construction began on the new edifice. The first Sunday in May, 1985 we marched from 2124 Olive to 2200 Olive singing, praising, and worshipping God. Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church is the first black baptist church listed in the Black Archives of Mid-America to build a new edifice consecutively. A fund known as "The Living Tree", a graphic bronze design in the form of a tree was established to pay off the mortgage of the church. This tree is displayed on the east wall of the church.