Zion Baptist Church, Portsmouth, Virginia

It was the year 1865, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed by President Lincoln. The original pioneers of this great church numbering 318, and having a basement form of worship were amicably granted a letter of separation from their white mother church, Court Street Baptist Church. Following the American Civil War, the Rev. E. G. Corprew became the First pastor of the Zion Baptist Church.