Morning Star Baptist Church: A Bronzeville Landmark with Gospel Roots and a Vision for the Future

In July 2025, Morning Star Baptist Church—one of the South Side’s most historically rich congregations—was officially granted landmark status by the City of Chicago. The vote, passed unanimously by City Council, capped off more than a century of spiritual leadership, architectural evolution, and cultural impact.

But this is more than a story about preserving a building. This is a story about migration, music, memory—and how one church helped anchor a people, a neighborhood, and a sound.

Born from the Great Migration

Founded in 1917, Morning Star Baptist Church was born during the first wave of the Great Migration, when thousands of African Americans fled the violence and disenfranchisement of the South seeking opportunity in Northern cities like Chicago. Bronzeville, then known as the “Black Belt,” became a vibrant cultural and economic hub, often called the Black Metropolis.

Morning Star stood out as more than a place of worship—it was a refuge, a meeting ground, and a community pillar. As Black families moved into nearby Grand Boulevard and Douglas, the church helped new arrivals find jobs, housing, and belonging.

That’s one of the key reasons it earned landmark status: it served as a spiritual and community anchor during one of the most transformative periods in Black American history.

A Testament to Black Architectural Legacy

Originally built in 1912 as an auto garage, the building was transformed in the 1930s by Walter Thomas Bailey, Illinois’ first licensed Black architect. Later, in the 1960s, the church underwent another major renovation by the firm Hunter, Konn & Duster—with architect Charles E. Duster, the grandson of civil rights icon Ida B. Wells, helping to lead the redesign.

The renovation added iconic dalle de verre stained-glass windows, smooth modernist walls, and a dramatic, soaring sanctuary that blended spiritual grace with architectural innovation. These layered designs represent both historical depth and forward vision—hallmarks of the Black Chicago experience.

That architectural evolution is part of what helped Morning Star meet Chicago’s Landmark Criteria 4 and 5—for its design and its association with prominent Black architects.

Gospel Royalty: The Barrett Sisters Begin Here

Morning Star is also etched into the story of American gospel music, thanks to three sisters from Chicago’s South Side who would go on to sing for presidents and international audiences—but started in the church choir.

The Barrett Sisters—DeLois, Billie Mae, and Rodessa—grew up attending Morning Star. It was within these walls that they honed their signature harmonies and soulful delivery, inspired by the music of their faith and the voices of their elders.

Led by DeLois, who was also a member of the Roberta Martin Singers, the sisters became internationally known and performed alongside Mahalia Jackson, Shirley Caesar, and James Cleveland. But their foundation was always Morning Star.

Today, the landmark designation recognizes not only the building, but the cultural legacy it helped birth—one that shaped the sound of gospel music across generations.

A New Role in Bronzeville’s Revival: The Bronzeville Trail

The landmark status of Morning Star Baptist Church also comes at a pivotal moment for the South Side. Just blocks away, the city is working to convert two miles of abandoned rail line into the Bronzeville Trail—a walkable, bikeable greenway that will celebrate the neighborhood’s heritage and connect key cultural sites.

Morning Star’s location—on King Drive, once the heart of Black Chicago—makes it a natural cornerstone of the Bronzeville Trail. The plan is to create a tourism corridor that honors the past while building for the future, much like New York’s High Line or Atlanta’s BeltLine—but with a uniquely Chicago and Black historical lens.

That means Morning Star won’t just be protected. It will be celebrated, featured in walking tours, educational programming, and cultural events that bring more people to experience its history.

What the Landmark Status Protects

With this designation, the city has officially preserved:

• All exterior elevations of the church.

• The main sanctuary and interior vestibule.

• Its distinctive stained-glass and modernist elements.

It also means that the building can’t be demolished or fundamentally altered without public review, ensuring its legacy is safe for future generations.

Echoes of a Legacy

Morning Star Baptist Church reminds us of the power of place—how a single building can hold stories of migration, music, memory, and faith. It’s a testament to Black resilience, creativity, and spiritual grounding.

As Bronzeville continues to rise, reclaiming its place in the city’s cultural conversation, Morning Star will stand not just as a building of the past—but as a beacon for the future.

Visit & Learn More

• Morning Star Baptist Church
  3993 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
  Bronzeville, Chicago

• 🎶 Listen to the Barrett Sisters to hear the gospel sounds that were born inside this church.

• 🚶🏾‍♂️ Learn more about the Bronzeville Trail and community efforts to make Bronzeville a destination rooted in Black excellence and everyday legacy.