Second Baptist Church of Detroit, Detroit

Located in the area of Greektown , Michigan's oldest African-American church dates back to 1836. For its first 29 years, it was a key station on the Underground Railroad, sheltering some 5000 slaves in its basement during that time, as they moved towards freedom in Canada. Besides being a leading force in the abolitionist movement, the church was an early advocate of suffrage for blacks and helped dozens of other local black churches get organized. Now it is an important historical landmark, as well as a vibrant community center.