It was in 1863, before the end of the Civil War, that a group of former slaves arrived in St. Paul on a steamboat. This group of people identified themselves as pilgrims. Robert T. Hickman, a preacher, was among them. He served as their leader. The workers at the dock, who were white, were hostile toward the newcomers when they arrived. At that time, former slaves were "considered contraband." These dock workers were Irish and they "initially harassed" the group because of their race and the fact that they were former slaves.
After the initial hostility upon their arrival in St. Paul, Robert T. Hickman and his other fellow pilgrims established a church and settled into their new homes. The church they founded was Pilgrim Baptist Church. It is still in existence today.
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