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History

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Deaf Ministry has a rich history of faithful Gospel service. Click any of the buttons below to jump to that section on this page.

Timeline
Historical Photos
Videos
Leaders
Document Archives

history timeline COMING

16th Century

Pedro Ponce de Leon begins teaching Deaf children with signs

1620

Juan Pablo de Bonet publishes the first sign language book

1817

Gallaudet and Clerc establish the American School for the Deaf

1852

First Deaf Church founded in the U.S. (St. Ann’s Church for the Deaf)

1904 — Beginning of Southern Baptist Deaf Outreach

Southern Baptist outreach formally began when the Home Mission Board sent Myrtle Morris as a teacher to Deaf individuals in Cuba.

1905–1906 — John W. Michaels

John W. Michaels, who was Deaf, was hired by the Arkansas Baptist Convention in 1905 and later by the Home Mission Board in 1906.

1948 — First National Gathering

The inaugural national gathering took place at First Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee, with Deaf lay leaders and messengers arriving from across the South.

1954 — Southern Baptist Conference of the Deaf

The organization officially adopted the name: Southern Baptist Conference of the Deaf (SBCD).

1950s

Carter Bearden begins evangelizing Deaf communities in the U.S.

1960s

ASL formally recognized as a legitimate language

1982-2020

ASL Bible translated (Deaf Missions)

2024

Full ASL version of the Jesus Film is released

Photo Archive

Photo Album 1 Photo Album 2 Photo Album 3

Video Archive

Video Archive

3 Videos

Document Archive

Alabama Baptist Conference of the Deaf