Elisha Green Memorial

Perched above the Ohio River in Maysville, the Elisha Green Memorial pays tribute to a pioneering religious leader whose work helped shape early African American faith communities in Kentucky. The memorial stands on the site of the original Bethel Baptist Church and features a striking stained glass installation that reflects the life and legacy of Elisha Winfield Green.

Born into slavery, Green emerged as an influential spiritual leader and educator during the 19th century. In 1845, the white Baptist church and Green’s enslaver, John Dobbyn, authorized him to preach to the area’s Black community. Green went on to establish two important congregations: First African Baptist Church of Maysville in 1848 and First African Baptist Church of Paris in 1855, helping create spaces where African Americans could worship, learn, and build community.

Today, visitors can reflect on this legacy through symbolic elements of the memorial, including a pair of discarded shackles representing the bondage of slavery. A life-size sculpture of Green, holding a Bible and reaching toward the Ohio River, is planned for installation in 2026, completing the powerful tribute.