South Carolina convention elects first black president

Messengers to the South Carolina Baptist Convention’s (SCBC) annual meeting made history Nov. 12 by electing the convention’s first African-American president.

Alex Sands, pastor of Kingdom Life Church, Simpsonville, South Carolina, was elected by acclamation as president-elect and will become president following a year of service.

SCBC President Bryant Sims noted the historic moment.

“After slavery ended virtually every African-American left the balconies of our churches to form their own churches and conventions,” Sims said. “Our track record on the race issue over the next 100 or so years was not great, to say the least, but … I don’t want it to be lost on us today, that on our 200th anniversary … our first African-American will preside as president.” (BP)