St. John the Baptist Church was founded on the edge of a sugarcane plantation where generations of African slaves worked, lived, and died. There a group of men and women in 1869 laid the cornerstone for the Church following its incorporated one year earlier by Reverend Basile Dorsey, who served as its founding pastor. Rev. Dorsey was a man of profound influence, and the all-Black community that grew around the church would come to be named Dorseyville. St. John the Baptist would serve as the community’s cornerstone.
The history of St. John the Baptist Church and Dorseyville are intertwined. The church is the oldest standing building in the community. In its early years, Dorseyville was surrounded by farms where residents made a living primarily by planting and harvesting sugarcane. There was no indoor plumbing or electric lighting in the church during these early years, and baptisms were held in the Mississippi River, which ran next to the Dorseyville community. Located in Iberville Parish (County), Dorseyville was 77 miles northwest of New Orleans. Reverend Dorsey purchased the property where the church stood from white landowners, further cementing the church’s connection to the community’s growth.
In 1893 church members built the Dorseyville School to ensure that children who had grown up on nearby plantations would have access to the knowledge and skills necessary to improve their lives. The school would remain the only educational institution for African Americans in the area until 1952 when Iberville Parish built a public school.
Under the direction of Reverend Larry Washington, the church constructed a “modern” pulpit, which could be converted into an indoor pool for baptisms. Reverend Washington also served as treasurer of the 4th District Sunday School Association and the Iberville Parish Conference.
Reverend Handy Dominique (1916-1948), who led the church for 32 years, oversaw the installation of electricity and gas heating. Additionally, the first use of the indoor baptismal pool occurred during his tenure, marking a continued commitment to improving both the spiritual and material aspects of the community’s life.
Reverend Joseph Dandridge (1948-1994), who served as the church’s pastor for 46 years, established the Junior Church and the Mass Choir which gave youth opportunities to participate in church life.
The church’s development continues under the leadership of Reverend Gregory Coates I, who became the fifth pastor in 1996. Reverend Coates created the Social Services, Outreach, and Prison Ministries as well as the Basketball Team, Drill Team, and Youth Choir to provide young people with positive outlets for growth and development. Under his leadership the church created a website and the Beacon Newsletter which kept the community informed and connected.
St. John the Baptist describes itself as “The Church of Love and Longevity.” The church was planted in and grew out of bitter circumstances, but an undying sense of love runs through its long history, sweeter and richer than the sugarcane that came out of the ground nearby.
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