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The First 100 Years

February 8, 1911

  • Salem was organized at 31st & Federal St., Chicago, IL - Rev. James H. Haywood, Pastor

September 22, 1912

  • The Salem Baptist Church moves to 3000 S. LaSalle St., Chicago, IL (Formally Swedish Covenant Tabernacle)

September 1921

  • The mortgage papers were burned

February 18, 1922

  • Rev. James H. Haywood dies

December 1922

  • Part of Salem's membership split and organized the "Antioch Missionary Baptist Church" 

  • Salem gets a new Pastor, Rev. Bland L. Rose

1926

  • Salem's membership experiences a second split and becomes "The New Covenant Baptist Church" and moved to 37th and Langley Avenue, Chicago, IL

  • Salem Baptist Church is renamed "Greater Salem Missionary Baptist Church" located at 3000 S. LaSalle Street, Chicago, IL

1927

  • Rev. C.C. Harper of Dallas, Texas becomes the new Pastor of Greater Salem

1929

  • Rev. Balou becomes the new Pastor of Greater Salem

1930

  • A third split resulting in the formation of Zion Temple Baptist Church

  • Greater Salem gets a new Pastor, Rev. G.W. Allen

1934

  • Rev. W. Louis Petty becomes Greater Salem's new Pastor

March 1954

  • After Rev. W.L. Petty's death, Rev. Leon Jenkins, Sr. becomes the Pastor of Greater Salem

July 20, 1958

  • Greater Salem M.B. Church moves to current location at 215 W. 71st Street, Chicago, IL

February 16, 1989

  • Rev. Leon Jenkins, Sr. passes

April 20, 1990

  • Rev. Leon Jenkins, Jr. becomes Pastor of Greater Salem M.B. Church

November 24, 2019

  • Under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Leon Jenkins, Jr., Min. Georgia Archibald Little & Min. Sheila Harmon, have become the first females in the history of Greater Salem M.B. Church licensed to Preach.

May 23, 2021

  • Congratulations to Rev. Georgia Archibald-Little and Rev. Sheila Harmon on their historic Ordination 

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