Excerpts from the Founders Day Souvenir booklet published October 17, 2001

The Beginning:
There were men and women in those days who bore faithful witness to the efficiency of prayer. Great men of all ages have turned to God for help. Prayers and songs have always brought harmony to the lives of the humble and reverent toward God. Even the old hostilities of slavery were tempered by respect for the incomprehensible mysteries of faith.
It was immediately after the close of the Civil War that a group of dedicated men, with restraint on their lips and passion in their hearts, bound together and founded the Kenansville Eastern Missionary Baptist Association.
With heart rendering prayers and spirituals born of a need of time brought together in 1867, in the First Baptist Church of Warsaw men like the Revs. Thomas Parker, J.T. Dean, Will walker, Rev Underwood and a few others whose names are lost to us came together. The men formed a committee to write a constitution that would govern the infant institution. The group called an assembly in Kenansville in 1869 to adopt the constitution. Prior to this time, the few blacks who were church members belonged to white churches. New churches involved as organizers of the Association were First Baptist Clinton; Bear Swam, Warsaw; Mt. Gilead, Mt Olive; Six Runs, Turkey; Hills Chapel, Faison; First Baptist Kenansville. These churches are flourishing prosperous churches today.
The first Moderator, Thomas Parker, a Virginian, was born about 1830. He belonged to a white church in Wilmington, NC and was ordained by the same church. Subsequent Moderators were Rev. J.M. McNight, a Rev. Best, Rev. James Malachi Newkirk, Rev. S.M. White, Rev. J.D. Morrisey and currently Rev. James A. Davis.
The Missionary Department was organized in 1956 under Moderator White's administration. Sister Cornelia Fennell was elected chairperson and served faithfully until her demise in 2001. The young people's crusade for Christ was organized in Moderator White's administration in 1968. It now draws hundreds of youth to the faith. The spacious Baptist Training Building was built during the White administration. Moderator Morrisey's vision was to erect a new and more modern facility to be used as the Headquarters for KEMBA. Phase One of this facility was directed and completed under the administration of Moderator James Davis.
Hundreds of faithful have in all generations contributed to the growth of the Association. Lay people such as Fred Johnson, Ed Monk, David Winley, Alpha Williams, Lloyd Bass, Harvey Cobb and others also contributed.
Moderator J.D. Morrisey, elected to succeed Moderator S.M. White in 1988, geared his program to the present day needs of the era. Rev. James A. Davis was elected in October 1999 to succeed Moderator Morrisey. Moderator Davis is continuing to work for the advancement of K.E.M.B.A.
Written by: Deacon Reddick Wilkins 1989-deceased and Revised 2001
 

Brief History of the Kenansville Eastern Missionary Baptist Association

Excerpts in this narrative were secured from:

"The Life of Hon. A.R. Middleton" by his daughter, Mrs. Hannah Middleton Bryan Tauber, the late RE. J. Malachi Newkirk and others who lived during the period affected. -- E.M.B)

Written by - E.M. Butler

Updated by - James H. Faison, Jr.

It was scarcely five years after the emancipation of the Negro Race from slaver, in the "Gray Dawn" of his freedom, that a group of consecrated men of God, imbued with the Spirit of Jesus Christ met in September 1870, in a small church then known as Bear Swamp Church (now the West Hill First Baptist Church of Warsaw, NC) upon call issued by the late lamented Rev. Thomas(Tom) Parker. A small group of God-fearing men answered the call and formed a temporary organization, electing Rev. Parker temporary chairman, Shade Connor as secretary, and laid plans for the Organization of Baptist Churches
In October 1870, delegates from the following churches met in First Baptist Church, Kenansville, North Carolina at which time an Association was formed. Five Churches were represented in this formation of the Association, namely -- First Colored Baptist Church, Goldsboro, NC, B.B. Spicer of NEw Bern and Washington Wynn, Pastor, Wynn's Chapel Baptist Church, Mount Olive, NC.
By request Rev. Williams acted as moderator. In the organization of the Association, Rev "Tom" Parker was elected Moderator, "Abe" Middleton, Secretary, G.A. Bizzell, Treasurer. The folowing ministers have served as moderators of the Association: Revs. D.T. Best, S.M. Burney, H. Lee, W.C. Cowan, W.F.C. Kornegay, George Moore, J.T. Deans, C.T. Underwood, J.N. McKnight, J. Malachi Newkirk, Rev. S.M. White, J.D. Morrisey and the present moderator, Rev. James A. Davis. Clerks (secretaries), A.R. Middleton, Amos McCullough, I.S. Bennett, Welley Jones, N.M. Holmes, W.H. Ashford, E.Q. Moore, A.J. Boney, J.M. Newkirk, T.P. McGhee, E.M. Butler, Calvin Spurill and present secretary Alease B. Davis. Treasurers, Shade Connor, Green Raynor, J.M. Johnson, W.D. Wilson, W.H.Beatty Lloyd Bass, Fred Johnson, James A. Davis and present treasure Larry Bell. The Association was named the KENANSVILLE EASTERN MISSIONARY BAPTIST ASSOCIATION to distinguish it from the Eastern Missionary Baptist Association composed of white churches.
Thinking in terms or organized Christian education, A.R. Middleton called together messengers from Sunday schools of churches in the Association in July 1880, and organized the KENANSVILLE EASTERN MISSIONARY BAPTIST SUNDAY SCHOOL CONVENTION and was elected its first president. It was organized in and old house at a place then known as Williams Crossroads. Other presidents were A.J. Stanford, J.T. Deans, J. Malachi Newkirk, R. W. Underwood, J.. McKnight, J.J. Howe, E.M. Butler, and James H. Faison, Jr. presently serving. The daughters of Zion Convention was organized in 1919, Mrs. Adella Faison President; succeeding presidents, Mrs. Ruth Boone, presently serving. The Baptist Young People's Union (Now B.T.U), convention was organized in Willard Chapel Baptist Church, Willard, NC in October 1920, E.M. Butler, president, T.P. McGhee, secretary, and Mrs. Hattie Burchett, treasurer. Other president include Mrs. Mary Newkirk Robinson, Mrs. Hanah Kelly, Mrs. G.L. Bynum, Mrs. Tempie McLaurin, Miss Cornelia E. Fennell, Rev. J.R. Winley, Mrs. Mary R. Faison and Mrs. Ruth Johnson, presently serving.

Noting the importance of ushers serving in churches, the Moderator Rev. Newkirk organized the Kenansville Eastern Ushers Association, Rev. J.A. Lewis, president in 1946. In 1948, Rev. S.M. White was elected president, when for convenience of all churches in the Association, it was divided into the Northern and Southern Division, J.M. Bell being elected president of the Northern Division in 1950 and was in continuous service until his demise, James a Davis followed/Presently serving is Rev. Oletha Troublefield. Henry McClammy was elected president of the Southern Division succeeding Rev. White in 1949, serving faithfully until 1950, when president, Fred Johnson, was elected, Deacon Archie Lofton, Jr. followed and is presently serving.
The responsibility of education during the early period of freedom largely rested with the churches; therefore, by an act of the General assembly of North Carolina in 1909, B.B. 1353 and S.B. 1256-799, the Faison Educational, Agricultural and Industrial Institute was incorporated "under the style of 'Industrial Training and service. All these auxiliaries are well-supporting the program of the Association. The Ministers and Deacons Union meeting was first presided over by Rev. David Jackson.
The responsibility of education during the early period of freedom largely rested with the churches; therefore, by an act of the General assembly of North Carolina in 1909, B.B. 1353 and S.B. 1256-799, the Faison Educational, Agricultural and Industrial Institute was incorporated "under the style of 'Industrial Training School' for the purpose of establishing and maintaining a school or system of schools at Faison" This school operated successfully for a number of years being supported largely by churches of the Association until the state provided high school, normal and college education for the Negroes. The first principal was Prof. J.N. Bennett succeeded by J.T. Horton, J. Malachi Newkirk, M.S. Modona, R.W. Underwood and J.H. Beaty.
The first Negro missionary from North Carolina to Africa, Rev. James O. Hayes, was a member of the First Baptist Church, Magnolia, North Carolina; he was among the first graduates of Shaw University. The experiences of this missionary indirectly led to the organization of the great Lot Cary Foreign Mission Convention which prosecutes and effective foreign missions program in the Caribbean are in Africa and Asia. In 1948, a unit of the National Baptist Convention, Incorporated, was organized as a result of the active and energetic work of the Moderator, Rev. J. Malachi Newkirk in Lisbon Street Baptist Church, Clinton, NC. Rev Newkirk was elected president, U.S. Brown, first vice-president, J.N. Mallette, recording secretary, S.L. Stanford, second vice president.
For a number of years, Rev. "Tom" Parker and "Abe" Middleton were guiding stars of the association. He organized the following churches during his ministerial career: First Baptist of Magnolia, Kenansville and Warsaw (Bear Swamp), Hill's Chapel (Faison), Mount Gilead, Eastern minister in Wilmington, Rev. R.B. Banks, pastor, Ebenezer Baptist Church, which he established with a group of members who came out of the First Baptist Church, leaving that church without a pastor. The Baptist brethren in the upper section of the New Hanover District (now Sampson, Duplin, and Pender counties), sent to First Baptist Church, Wilmington, for someone to preach to them. Thomas Parker, then a deacon, volunteered to heed their call. He was licensed by First Baptist Church and later ordained by the white Baptist ministers in Wilmington, there being no Negro minister except Rev. Banks at Ebenezer.
In going to the new section, Rev. Parker was mistaken as an "Agitator" until he gave evidence of his Godly intentions and was given much encouragement and support by the white ministers and members in preaching the gospel and organizing new churches. He died in 1924, greatly mourned by members of both races in Warsaw, North Carolina.
A.R. "Abe" Middleton began his first public services as a school teacher in Duplin County in 1869. He was a potent factor in the civic, religious, political and fraternal life in this state. He held many position ins the Grand Lodge of Masons, Grand and Supreme Lodge of Odd Fellows and Good Samaritans; in the Customs House in Wilmington; Storekeeper and Gouger in the United States Internal Revenue Department; delegate to the Republican National Convention of 1874; Member Republican State Executive Committee fourteen years; Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms in two sessions of the State Legislature; thee years president of the Negro State Fair of North Carolina, died July 1930. several men served well as pioneers of this Association but these two men were the most well-known and outstanding in their accomplishments in its organization and operation.
In 1872, there arose a dispute in the Association over certain question of church policy, with Rev. Parker taking the stand that a Baptist Church was superior to the Association, being the creature of the Association while Rev. Banks held that the Association was superior to the church. This dispute caused a split in the Association with Rev. Banks heading up a group which met in Ebenezer Baptist church in 1872 and organized the Middle District Baptist Association. The spirit of church superiority still holds true and is the policy of the Kenansville Eastern Missionary Baptist Association. In later years, as churches became more widely organized, many churches in Sampson County organized the West Union Baptist Association. These Associations, with others since organized, annually exchange continuously moving forward Godwardly. Its destiny is interwoven in the missionary movement so prevalent with Baptist churches throughout America. It is well supported by its churches which meet on equal ground "Defending the Faith once delivered to the Saints." And now as we enter the second century of the existence of this Association, with pride in its accomplishments and hopeful for a promising future, we greet ourselves, "HATS OFF TO THE PAST; COATS OFF TO THE FUTURE."