The wife of the slave owner, known as Mrs. Turner, kindled this religious inspiration. Mrs. Turner, as revealed, was a Christian woman. She allowed the slaves on her plantation to hold church services. It was stated that Mrs. Turner herself held Sunday school classes at her home for the slave children.

The slaves didn't have a building to hold their worship service in, so these services were held outdoors under the brush harbors to shield them from the sun and cold. To keep themselves warm in the cold weather, they would build a fire on the outside of these brush harbors and would occasionally go out and warm themselves.

There was a little black boy by the name of William Gaskins who lived on the Turner's plantation. His job was to drive the buggy to take the Turner's little boy to school and back. Each day he picked up the little boy, he would ask him "what did you learn today. If the little boy told him he learned the letter "A",William would say, "Make it for me." The little boy would draw the letter on the ground. It was against the law for Negroes to learn to read and write. William would study the formation of the letter until he mastered it. This he did every day he picked up the little boy from school. Soon he had learned all the letters of the alphabet. He continued this process with words and sentences. Thus, William mastered the skills of reading and writing. He was the only black who could read and write on the Caffey Place. (This information was passed from Mr. Gaskins to Dea. James A. Jenkins). Mr. Gaskins became the first secretary and one of the first trustees when this church was organized.

Deacon Isom Starks stated that when the Civil War was fought in the South and in Lowndes County, Mr. Turner was the first white man killed in that war. Mrs. Turner remained on the plantation. Being a Christian woman as fore mentioned, Mrs. Turner gave the freed slaves on her plantation a parcel of land to construct a church building to hold their worship services, but before the deeds could be drawn up, Mrs. Turner passed away.

The new owners, Mr. John A. and wife, Mary Annie Fitten, proceeded to honor the request of Mrs. Turner and deeded the land to the ex-slaves. The deed reads as follows: "That certain two areas of land, more or less, which was heretofore conveyed by John A. Fitten and wife, Mary Annie Fitten to W.D. Gaskins, Charles Thorn, Nat Williams, J.H. Thorn and Lewis Gaskins, as Trustees of the Mount Olive Baptist Church on the 19th day of October, 1882. Deed Recorded in deed book "N" at pages 247 & 248, in the probate office of Lowndes County, Alabama, it being recited in said deed that Mrs. E.B. Turner, in her life time had given said property as a church lot, but she died without ever giving a deed thereto; said property being situated in the southeast corner of section 22 (T.P. 15 range 103).

A man by the name of Pet Caffey  later became owner of the land once owned by the Fittens. The land took on the name "Caffey Place". The present church is still referred to as "Caffey Church" because of this (recalled by Deacon Isom Starks). Blacks now own much of the land around the church.

In order to organize a church, members had to be persons of a legal or bonifide church. This was a small barrier to these determined Christians ex-slaves. Since there were no black churches in Lowndes County to join and they were not allowed to unite with a white congregation, they traveled to Montgomery, a distance of twenty (20) plus miles to a church that would accept them as members. Since they did not have automobiles, they had to travel by mule drawn wagons, horse drawn buggies, and on horse backs, braving all kinds of hardships, handicaps, and weather conditions to attend services each Sunday.

The First Missionary Baptist Church accepted them, a white congregation now located on Perry Street in Montgomery, Alabama. There were three hundred (300) white members who held their worship service in the main sanctuary in the morning, while six hundred (600) black members held their services in the basement. The same minister, the Reverend Isaac Tickenor, pastured both congregations.

History reveals that the importation of slaves to the United States was abolished in 1863. In 1865, by a Proclamation from President Abraham Lincoln, slavery was abolished in the South. So in 1867, the Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church was organized, giving a span of two years.

Since the number of black members increased so rapidly, the basement of the First Baptist Church, where these proud Negroes held their worship service, could not accommodate all of them. The minister of the church gave them permission to build churches in their communities. The first two black churches to come out from the First Baptist Church were the Columbus Street Baptist Church, now renamed First Baptist Church on Ripley Street in Montgomery, Alabama, and Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church, located on the "Caffey Place," in Burkville, Alabama. Reverend Tickenor organized both churches.

During one hundred thirty five (135) years of establishment, this church has had fifteen pastors. The first pastor was Reverend Frank Brooks who is credited as the founder and organizer of this church. He served thirteen (13) years, from 1867 to 1880. The first church was built on the spot of land given by Mrs. Turner and deeded by Mr. and Mrs. Fitten. This was a wooden framed building with a balcony in the back. This balcony was once used as the choir loft. Materials for building this church had to be hauled from various places by mule drawn wagons. The membership grew rapidly. The First Baptist Church now located on Perry Street supervised the building of this structure.

The thirteenth pastor was Reverend James Oliver Cooper. He served longer than any Minister previously had served. He served for thirty (30) years, from 1948 to 1978. Under this administration, many accomplishments were made. Much work was done to the church. The choir loft and pulpit were renovated. Rotten boards were replaced and the steeple was removed because it was feared that the foundation of the building had weakened to the point that it was unable to support the top and steeple. The church was now being heated by gas, replacing the one old wood and coal heater. After several attempts to patch up the old building, it was soon realized that a new structure was needed. Reverend Cooper, through his insight, asked each member to pledge to contribute the sum of one hundred ($100) dollars to be paid in one year for the purpose of financing the construction of a new edifice. The first person to pay out that year, besides Reverend Cooper, was the late Sister Josephine Harris, the mother of Deacon Leon Harris. The next year each member was asked to make his or her own pledges. After several years,  enough money had been raised to begin the construction. Since this was a pay as you go project, it took several years to complete the building. This was a structure made out of blocks and bricks. It contained a sanctuary and a small fellowship hall. While Reverend Cooper was still serving as pastor, foundation was laid for the construction of a larger fellowship hall on the opposite side of the sanctuary. Under Reverend Cooper's administration, the following auxiliaries and special days were begun: the Matron Department, Junior Mission, Crusaders, and Sunbeam departments. Special days or events were Homecoming Day, Women's Day, Youth Day, and Choir Day. Reverend Cooper resigned in 1978 due to failing health.

The fourteenth (14th) pastor was Reverend O'Dell McDaniel. He served for nineteen (19) years, from 1978 to 1997. Under his leadership, the fellowship hall started by Reverend Cooper was completed. Later the old fellowship hall was enlarged to accommodate a pastor's study, an office, finance room, choir room, two classrooms, and four rest rooms. The choir loft was enlarged, and a baptistery installed under the choir loft. Reverend McDaniel organized a children's choir and started our first Vacation Bible School. During the latter tenure of his administration, plans for the new edifice were being made.

Reverend John F. Gilchrist was elected the fifteenth (15th) pastor of this church on October 23, 1997. He served for four (4) years and ten (10) months. He organized a male chorus and youth adult choir. The present building was constructed under his administration. He resigned on August 25, 2002 to pastor a church in Montgomery, Alabama.

On August 24, 2003, Reverend Lamard Raven was installed as the sixteenth (16) pastor of the Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church.

In February, 2008, Reverend Eric E. Brown was elected as the seventeeth (17) pastor of the Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church.

We thank God for all the good things he has done and is still doing for us. His blessings are immeasurable. With much prayer, faith and trust in God we will be the church He wants us to be. FOR WE ARE WALKING BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT, AS WE KEEP FOCUS ON JESUS CHRIST.

History submitted by Sister Annie Jenkins Pringle.

Information received from: the late Deacon James A. Jenkins and present Deacon Isom Starks.