CA-015-003-008: Emma and Carolyn Griffin, October 16, 2025
Scope and Contents
Riverhill Missionary Baptist Church was formally organized under Rev. Robert Troupe in 1873 by a group of worshippers who previously attended nearby Macedonia Baptist Church. Shortly thereafter—about three-quarters of a mile up the old River Street Road—Sister Amy Wilson and fellow congregants built and named the first church edifice; the “River Hill” name has remained in use ever since. Over the years, under leaders such as Rev. H. B. Bland, the congregation weathered periods of trial and growth, sustaining its Baptist mission and community ministries into the twentieth century and beyond.
Dates
- October 16, 2025
Creator
- Griffin, Carolyn (Interviewee, Person)
- Griffin, Emma (Interviewee, Person)
- Hamer, Bonnie (Interviewer, Person)
- Griffin, Alexia (Interviewer, Person)
Biographical / Historical
Carolyn Griffin is a lifelong resident of Lowndes County, Georgia, having moved from Newark, New Jersey, to the Valdosta area as an infant in 1961. A longtime member of River Hill Missionary Baptist Church, she has remained actively involved in the congregation and its ministries throughout her adult life. Griffin attended local Lowndes County schools before pursuing higher education, ultimately graduating from Kaiser University. Throughout her life she has emphasized Christian service, education, and preserving the history and traditions of River Hill Missionary Baptist Church. As a member of a younger generation within the congregation, she offers insight into the continuity of church traditions while expressing a commitment to preserving the church's heritage for future generations.
Emma Griffin is a lifelong resident of Lowndes County, Georgia, and one of the oldest members of River Hill Missionary Baptist Church. She attended the one-room River Hill schoolhouse as a child and witnessed significant changes in the surrounding community, including the relocation of the church building, the construction of Interstate 75, and the modernization of the church's facilities. After leaving school in the eleventh grade, she worked for several local manufacturing companies, including Levi's and textile industries in the region, while raising six children. Through her decades of membership, Griffin has preserved firsthand knowledge of River Hill's early congregation, community traditions, and rural way of life, making her an invaluable source for documenting the church's history and the experiences of African American families in Lowndes County.
Extent
From the Collection: X items
Language
From the Collection: English
Overview
This oral history interview with Carolyn Griffin and her mother, Emma Griffin, documents the history and traditions of River Hill Missionary Baptist Church in Lowndes County, Georgia, through the perspectives of two lifelong members representing different generations. Together, they recount memories of the church's former location, the one-room schoolhouse that once served the community, fellowship traditions such as "eating on the grounds," annual revivals, church anniversaries, and Old Fashion Day celebrations. Emma Griffin reflects on attending the original schoolhouse, traveling rural roads before the construction of Interstate 75, and experiencing early church life without modern amenities. Carolyn Griffin discusses the continuity of church traditions, changes within the congregation, and the enduring importance of River Hill as a place of worship, community, and historical memory. Their combined recollections illustrate the church's role as both a spiritual home and a center of community life while preserving memories of the surrounding rural landscape and local African American history.
AIP UUID
055E6E23-06C4-404A-BEAF-2806AFD1B0D8
Repository Details
Part of the Community Archives Digitization, Access, and Preservation Program Repository