By TIFFANY RAZZANO
The church was first organized in June 1907, under the guidance of John and Glendora Hankins, said Collin Nash, a member of the church who is compiling its history. While the book, "The History of Rockville Centre," published in 1969 and written by Preston Bassett and Arthur Hodges, calls the Hankins the "Hawkins," Nash has gotten his information from official church and village documents. Nash also said these documents often did not list a first name, instead only providing an initial.
The Hankins gathered a group to discuss the possibility of forming a new Baptist Church. They held their first services in the Hankins home, which was located at what was formerly 9 Nassau St.
"Most of these folks were from the south," Nash said. "Shiloh was the first black church in Rockville Centre. Church was an integral part of lifestyle for these folks who were moving [to the village.] No sooner than the population of blacks began to build in Rockville Centre, they said, 'Listen, we need to have a church.'"
The group reached out to St. John's Church in Queens for help. Rev. A. Hill, from St. John's, came to Rockville Centre to help the fledgling church get off the ground. They began holding services at 168 Merrick. Rd., where La-Z-Boy Furniture is currently located. They also officially named their church Shiloh Baptist.
In 1909, the group purchased a plot of land at 57 Banks Ave. They were given a small building, which they moved to the property and used as a church. The men of the church laid the foundation for the one-room building themselves. "They wanted to establish a home on Banks Avenue, in the vicinity of the parks back there," Nash said. "Back in those days, that was sort of where the blacks lived in Rockville Centre, so they bought this lot over there."
A group of charter members, along with Hill, had Shiloh incorporated on July 25, 1910. "At that point, it became the first official black church in Nassau County," Nash said. Between 50 and 60 people came to services each week at that time.
After Hill went back to his original church in 1912, several pastors passed through the door of Shiloh Baptist, as the church grew steadily.
Then in 1937, Rev. Morgan Days came to Shiloh, forever changing the church. "He became very well known in Rockville Centre," Nash said. "He was a very charismatic figure."
"[Days] was for the community," said Cleveland Mitchell, vice president of the ushers group at Shiloh and president of the Silver Foxes, a senior group, at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Center. "He touched every one in this village - white, black, everyone. Everyone, if you walked around this town, they knew Rev. Days."
Days was responsible for Shiloh relocating to its current location at 96 N. Centre Ave. As the church continued to grow, it purchased a new plot of land on N. Centre Avenue, at the corner of Willoughby Street in 1945. Days launched a campaign to earn the funds for a brand new church to be built there.
Because of how well-liked Days was, the church received a tremendous amount of support from local business owners and organizations. One of the biggest supporters was Harry B. Carter, owner of the Bee Bus Company. "He was our guiding angel all through the building of the church, until his death," Days is quoted as saying about Carter in "The History of Rockville Centre."
The groundbreaking of the new church was held in 1948. Meanwhile, the fund-raising campaign continued and a village-wide drive was conducted in 1951, one year after the building at 57 Banks Ave. was used to bring the victims of a 1950 railroad accident in the village. Nash says that around $90,000 was collected. "The History of Rockville Centre" says that $33,000 of this was collected from the Jewish, Protestant and Catholic congregations in the village.
The cornerstone was laid in 1953. The Shiloh Baptist congregation moved into its new home in June 1954. As well as the money they donated, the church also received special gifts from the other religious congregations in the village, as well as local political figures and businessmen, says "The History of Rockville Centre." St. Agnes Church donated a furnace. Mayor Harry Lister had a public address system installed at his own expense. A local automobile dealer, D. Herbert Kastner, had shrubs planted on the grounds. Temple B'nai Sholom donated the pews, while the Episcopal Church of the Ascension gave them a baby grand piano. The Congregational Church School gave Shiloh its communion table and cross. Upon its completion, the church property and its furnishings were worth an estimated $300,000.
The church continued to flourish under the leadership of Rev. Days. President Harry S. Truman issued him a citation for his notable contributions to race relations in Nassau County. He was also honored by Governor Nelson Rockefeller with a certificate of public service for his work on the Board of the Nassau County Council of Churches. The Virginia Seminary and College of Lynchburg, Va. issued him an honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity in 1957. He was also visited by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1965.
After Days resigned in 1985 due to failing health, the church saw another quick succession of pastors until Rev. Herman Washington was named pastor in 1990.
The church currently has 350 active members, says Lenora Quinones, church administrator. She says she's seen a much younger congregation coming to services over the years.
"When I first came to Shiloh ... there were more older people," said Mitchell, who has been attending Shiloh Baptist for over 30 years. "There were very few young folk ... but [now] we've got a lot of young people coming in. ... It's very nice [to see] because each one of the preachers had their own way of teaching and preaching, but I would have to say Rev. Washington is a better teacher and leader; He attracted all ages - old, middle and the young."
Quinones said that under Washington's leadership the church has also expanded its charity work. "The area of ministry has grown tremendously under Pastor Washington's administration," she said. "Before that, we only worked in missions locally. We did not enter into foreign missions. But actively, within the last five years, we have been working in missions for Malawi, [in Africa.] ... [Washington] came and shared with the congregation about the problems there in Africa and its something that touched the hearts of many people and we wanted to do something to make the difference."
As Shiloh Baptist continues to look to the future, it will hold a 100th anniversary banquet on Oct. 25.
"It's not often that you get to celebrate 100 years of anything," Mitchell said. "I'm very pleased to be a part of this great celebration and I hope it continues down through the years. I won't be around to see it, but I hope one day they celebrate the church's 200th anniversary."
Comments about this story? TRazzano@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 221.
