1895 – Founding of the National Baptist Convention's Publication Board

On May 11, 1895, Reverend R.H. Boyd founded the National Baptist Publishing Board in Nashville, Tennessee. At a time when Black churches were largely excluded from white-owned religious publishing houses, this institution became a critical outlet for African American theological writing, Sunday school materials, and spiritual guidance. It empowered Black authors and pastors by giving them control over religious narratives and educational materials. The Board would go on to publish one of the oldest Black newspapers in the U.S., The National Baptist Voice, and became a key driver in African American literacy, self-determination, and religious organization. Its legacy lives on in the cultural and educational formation of millions within the Black Baptist community.