ABOUT US

HISTORY

POPLAR HILL BAPTIST CHURCH came into existence in the city of Buford, GA shortly after the civil war ended. The official celebrated day of origination is September 1883. It was underneath poplar trees on a hillside that invited a few families to gather under the canopy of its branches to begin to worship the Lord. It was with these few families that took stock of what it meant to be free from servitude and allowed them to begin the journey toward community and wholesome life in Buford, Ga. It was with the calling of its first pastor and naming of its first deacons and baptizing of its first converts of Christians that Poplar Hill began a legacy of faithful determination that has endured for a little more than one hundred and forty years.

With those few believers established and organized Poplar Hill saw the ability to have influence and positive in presence in the community of Buford and surrounding Gwinnett County at large and subsequently in the greater Atlanta, and the state of Georgia. Poplar Hill was blessed with many people of vision and insight as they could see how important civic involvement and social presence could be beneficial to all concerned.

While Poplar Hill was a church that demonstrated its uniqueness for being Christ centered where love was the Greatest, it demonstrated that love by being a safe place for displaced pilgrims forced from neighboring Forsyth County during its racial cleansing of 1912. Poplar Hill not only opened it’s doors and served as a colored school but it also used its civic influence to help provide jobs and homes to those individuals, many of whom resident descendants remain today.

Later in history, as World War II was ending, Poplar Hill was filled with GI’s returning and becoming an integral and powerful influence in the Buford community. From training and leadership crafted in the church, birthed many known community leaders that included trained ministers that have traversed the state influencing people Christward. Also, many leaders from Poplar Hill made lasting contributions to the city through board memberships and election wins. Persons associated with such involvement would be Edward Merritt, Robert Bell and Leon Johnson, all members of the Buford City School Board. Beauty Baldwin, due to the influences of two of these men, became the first African American Woman Superintendent in Buford, Ga.

In 1953, Poplar Hill was remodeled, and the new cornerstone was laid by the Grand Mason, J. W. Dobbs, grandfather to the later elected first Black mayor of Atlanta, Ga, Maynard Jackson. The city of Buford, under the direction of the Edward Merritt, was also instrumental in bringing music and entertainment to the community’s American Legion with such noted persons during the ‘Chitlin Circuit,’ such as James Brown and Ike and Tina Turner, to name a few. In addition, many of Poplar Hill’s members had lifelong affiliations after attending and graduating from Spellman College, Morehouse College and even Howard University. Poplar Hill has continued under the legacy of creating leaders from among its students under the banner of “Above Average, Well Rounded, and Highly Favored.” Her young people have grasped an understating that there is nothing too difficult for God and with HIM all things are possible. As we look toward the future, of our beloved church historically perched on a Hill filled with faith and determination and viewing the congregation’s Sunday worship and enthusiasm, its future is magnificently bright.