Woman's history is history of Houston's oldest black church
The history of the oldest black Baptist church in Houston is intertwined with the history of her family. Her great-grandfather, Jack Yates, ...
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Woman's history is history of Houston's oldest black church

Associated Press - May 24, 2008 1:15 PM ET
HOUSTON (AP) - The choir soprano glances up from her sheet music and scans the sanctuary of Houston's 142-year-old Antioch Missionary Baptist Church.
The curved oak pews were hand-hewn by former slaves. The vaulted ceiling is outlined by sturdy wooden beams converging in the center to form a cross, a star and a circle. The stained glass panels in the pointed arch windows are illuminated by the glow of a setting sun.
Antioch was founded by nine freed black slaves who started the church just seven months after their emancipation. And the strength of those founders is a strength running deep in 70-year-old Jacqueline Bostic. Antioch's not just her church; it's home.
Antioch was founded by nine freed black slaves who started the church just seven months after their emancipation. And the strength of those founders is a strength running deep in Bostic.