Conventions of the Colored Christian Churches in Kentucky

There were three divisions to the annual Convention of Colored Christian Churches of Kentucky: the State Missionary Convention, with male delegates; the Sunday School Convention, with both male and female delegates; and the Kentucky Christian Woman's Board of Missions (C.W.B.M.) Convention, with female delegates.

The first to be organized was the State Missionary Convention, in 1872 in Lexington. The goal was to organize state work in missions and develop a total brotherhood program. The Convention purchased The Christian Soldier newspaper for $100 to serve as the organ of the Brotherhood. R. E. Pearson was editor and manager, and D. I. Reid was printer. Published monthly, it cost subscribers 50 cents per year. The paper was to support itself, but it did not last very long. The organization's next paper, the Christian Trumpet, began publication in 1921.

The Convention also gave annually to the Louisville Bible School, which opened in 1873 to educate Negro ministers; it was originally located on 7th Street in Louisville.

The Sunday School Convention was organized in 1880 to bring together Sunday School workers to promote the program and learn methods of teaching and managing sunday school. Few men attended the conventions.

The Christian Women's Board of Missions (C.W.B.M.) Convention was also organized in 1880 to help the church have a complete program through home and foreign missions. The group was closely connected to the Louisville Bible School, and made annual donations, raised funds, and pushed for a girls' school, which was never built. It also gave funding to The Christian Soldier newspaper in hopes that the C.W.B.M. column would continue. Later they campaigned for subscriptions to World Call and encouraged members to read the Gospel Flea. When male delegates attended the C.W.B.M. Convention, the men were not recognized; it was a women's only organization.

For more see Negro Disciples in Kentucky, 1840-1925 (thesis), by C. Walker.