Since the early 1900's Olivet Baptisit Church has been a pillar in the community. When the church was located on Calhoun Ave., now G.E. Patterson Ave, in downtown Memphis, train passengers would walk the seven blocks from Central Station to Olivet Baptist Church to attend worship and then walk back to finish waiting for their trains. Olivet was one of the few churches at the time that had "come-as-you-are" worship. The pastor at the time decided that in order to make the people in the neighborhood feel welcome and comfortable, that the congregation should not have to dressed up if they don't feel like it. Olivet later relocated to its present location but stil kept the family-type atmosphere.

 

The Olivet pastors have been involded and impacted the community in one way or another. Pastor LO Taylor (1931-1956) who like renowed photographer Ernest C Withers, preserved the social and cultural fabric of the black community back in the 1930's and 40's. Pastor Kenneth T. Whalum, Sr. (1969-1999) helped convince Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to come to Memphis for the sanitation strike in 1968. He was also a city council member from 1988-1996.

 

After his father stepped down as pastor, Kenneth T Whalum, Jr., tired of church as usual, was looking for a way to impact his church and community. In doing so, he posted a simple sheet of paper around the church. The sign below started the contractions to birth a new church, a NEW Olivet Baptist Church on June 4, 2000.

 

 

Play the audio file to hear the audio recount from Pastor Whalum, Reverend Shelia Hubbard, Deacon Kirk Davis, Deacon Autry Gatewood,and Olive Lovell Cartwright. It was produced by Olive William Tate as a communications course requirement in his studies at the University of Memphis.

 

 

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