The historical Beulah Baptist Church is a study in faith and endurance. The church was founded on January 15, 1859, which was two years before the beginning of the Civil War. Its congregations have endured the major social and cultural changes of our country’s growth and development through faith and the grace of God.

The church has a long and faith filled history. It was the center of spiritual and social activity for several of the African American families of Skinquarter. Skinquarter has long been a diverse community where different cultures were able to abide. The organizing members of Beulah African Church (now Beulah Baptist Church) initially worshiped with the Skinquarter Baptist Church of Moseley, VA. The founders were William Booker, Ben Brown, Gilbert Jones, Ben Ward, Thomas Jefferson, David Goode, Bob Walker, Charles Holcomb, and Gilbert Dudley. Beulah’s first minister was Caucasian, the Rev. Mr. Wilkerson. 

Church history informs us that Beulah served as the first school for African American children in the area. Beulah school was constructed across the road from the church in later years and served children from grades one through seven. In 1942, Rosa Flournoy, a faithful member of the church and trailblazer, encouraged Chesterfield County officials to provide secondary education for Black children. Moreover, the county began busing high school students to Hickory Hill, the county’s first Black high school. 

Beulah Church, today, continues to build upon the legacy of its organizers and the will of Almighty God. We agree with the revelation that Apostle Paul shared with the believers at Ephesus. He declared that Jesus died to remove the instrument of separation between the Jews and the Gentiles and to make them one. He writes, “There is one Lord, one faith, one Baptism, and one God and Father, who is over and in all and living through all”. (Ephesians 4:5-6, New Living Translation)