One of the oldest active Black churches in Canada is right here in Windsor

Along Peter Street in Windsor, there sits a church — its brick exterior handmade from the clay of the Detroit River by the free and runaway enslaved people from the U.S. who worshipped at the congregation.

Sandwich First Baptist Church is one of the oldest Black churches in Ontario, and nearly two centuries after it was built, the congregation remains active.

The church is Lana Talbot's second home. She's there three to four times a week, working as the church clerk and heritage co-ordinator, sometimes cooking for those in need or just checking in on the church.

She joined the church almost by accident in 2005, when a cousin had her come by to help them win a prize.

"When I came here, the pastor, Rev. Colin Smith, handed me a membership and had my name on it and everything," she said. "I've been here ever since and it means a lot because there's so much history here."

The construction of the Sandwich First Baptist Church was completed in 1851, 30 years after the original church in the same location was built.

The church was designated under the Ontario Heritage Act in 1995 for its connection to the anti-slavery movement and designated a National Historic Site in 2000.

The church service, Talbot said, is more than 200 years old. The current church building celebrated its 180th anniversary in 2019.

"It was extremely important. It was important because we had abolitionists like Henry Bibb," Talbot said. "He found refuge here for all the people that came across."

She said the church community was more than just the people who were trying to get to freedom. There were also freed Black people who helped shape the country.

"I always say, 'Whose shoulders have I stood on? Who made a way from me? And who am I going to make a way for?,'" she said.

Talbot's family, like the church, has a long history in Windsor. She can trace their history back to the Underground Railroad. 

"I want to leave a legacy that people will realize Black people have been here for generations," she said.

It's been almost 30 years since there were upgrades to the church, but a federal grant for $100,000 will help fix the auditorium section of the building. Updated bathrooms, a new window, insulation and ceiling upgrades will be coming to the church.

"This [the main part of the church] is going to stay the exact same, the way it is. I think it's beautiful. Everybody that comes in here, they find peace," she said.

While the pandemic has been difficult on the church, having services by Zoom or YouTube, Talbot said the pandemic also brought the congregation closer.

"Where other people have probably fallen behind, we were risen up. We had more people once it opened up, we had more people come. We stayed within our limits and I'll say we did not suffer," Talbot said.

This weekend, the congregation is hoping to be able to gather together once again in person.

Second Baptist Church in Detroit

Many enslaved people in the U.S. who were trying to find safety in Canada would stop at the Second Baptist Church in Greektown in Detroit. It too was settled by those escaping slavery, according to the church's website. 

"In March 1836, 13 determined men and women received permission from the Territorial Legislature of Michigan to own and operate their own church. Second Baptist is the oldest religious institution owned by Blacks in the midwest," according to the website. 

In the years that followed, until the American Civil War ended in 1865, the church was a stop on the Underground Railroad, receiving about 5,000 enslaved people before sending them on to Canada, according to the church.

"By giving them food, clothing, and shelter the church was in total defiance of the Fugitive Slave Laws."

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.