Rev. George Leile

George Leile's name should stand alongside the most celebrated religious leaders in American history. Born into slavery around 1750, ordained as the first African American Baptist minister in 1775, and founder of the first independent Black church in America, Leile pioneered a tradition that would transform millions of lives and shape the course of American Christianity. Yet for more than a century, his remarkable story remained largely unknown, his achievements unrecognized, his legacy obscured by historical narratives that privileged white voices while marginalizing Black contributions.

This groundbreaking biography recovers the life and ministry of an extraordinary man who preached the gospel to enslaved people in Revolutionary-era Georgia, established thriving congregations despite brutal persecution, and ultimately carried his mission to Jamaica, where he founded the Baptist movement in the Caribbean. Drawing on meticulous research in archives across the United States and Jamaica, Dr. Andy C. Lewter traces Leile's journey from bondage to freedom, from obscurity to influence, and from local ministry to lasting institutional legacy.

"A long-overdue restoration of George Leile to his rightful place as a founding figure of American Christianity. Dr. Lewter's thorough research and passionate prose bring to life a pioneer whose story every American should know."

"This is not just Black Baptist history—this is American history. Lewter demonstrates convincingly that understanding Leile is essential to understanding the development of Christianity in America."