First Baptist Church Charleston, South CarolinaAt the end of the day Wednesday, the presidency of the Southern Baptist Convention will pass to an African-American pastor for the first time.

The nation’s largest Protestant denomination voted Tuesday to elect the Rev. Fred Luter Jr. to lead them, an important step for a denomination that was formed on the wrong side of slavery having split with the Baptists over the issue and made a reputation of supporting segregation and racism during much of the 20th century.

(READ the AP report in the Atalanta Journal Constitution)

Photo: First Baptist Church, Charleston South Carolina

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