Morris Memorial Building

The Morris Memorial Building was the crowning achievement of the McKissack Architectural Firm, and today, more than a century later, it continues to captivate visitors to Music City with its grand scale and exquisite ornamentation.

Built between 1924 and 1926 for the National Baptist Convention, USA, the building was funded by Baptist congregations across the country. It stands on a site in Nashville where enslaved African American families were once inspected, financed, and sold. Some contributing congregations, like First African and First Bryan Baptist Churches, trace their origins to the early days of the American Republic, while others, such as Atlanta’s Mount Olive Baptist Church, emerged during the Progressive Era, supporting Black communities amid the oppression of Jim Crow laws.

Designed in the Neo-Classical style, this four-story steel and masonry structure features a striking first story with large arched windows, keystones, and Doric pilasters. A prominent cornice, adorned with modillion blocks, metopes, and guttae, enhances its classical elegance. The roofline boasts a frieze of garlands and wreaths, a denticulated cornice, and a decorative balustrade, showing the building’s refined architectural details.

From 1894 to 1922, the National Baptist Convention was led by Reverend Elias Camp (E.C.) Morris, who helped establish one of the first African American publishing houses in the country. However, in 1915, a major division occurred when Black Baptists loyal to Dr. Richard Henry Boyd, head of the National Baptist Publishing Board, split from the convention.

In the 1920s, Reverend Dr. A. M. Townsend, a graduate of Roger Williams University and Meharry Medical College, revitalized the Publishing Board. Under his leadership, the Morris Memorial Building officially opened in 1926 as one of the most modern and well-equipped publishing houses in the state. The McKissack firm also used the first two floors as offices for many years. This building symbolizes the reclamation of a site once tied to the trauma of slavery, transforming it into a beacon of Black ingenuity and resilience during the Jim Crow era. Its story remains one of the most compelling in Nashville’s history.

Take our Music in Music City North tour to learn more about the music published here and the legacy of this remarkable building. Our next stop takes us from the northern end to the southern end of downtown, where we’ll visit the home of Dr. George Hubbard, the longtime president of Meharry Medical College.

Exit the parking lot onto Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd and turn LEFT onto 4th Ave S. Continue on 4th Ave S. about a mile, crossing over Broadway—watch out for pedestrians crossing in every direction! Just south of Broadway you’ll drive through an area formerly called Black Bottom. You’ll even pass a historical marker for the area at Korean Vets Blvd. That marker is at the last remaining architectural remnant of the neighborhood—St. Paul AME Church, now an event space called The Bell Tower. Take our New South Nashville tour to learn more. A few blocks south, turn LEFT onto Lafayette St. Then turn RIGHT onto 1st Ave S. You’ll drive past LEAD Cameron Middle School—remember that name from the Pearl High School stop? You can find street parking in front of the Hubbard House at 1109 1st Ave S.