Canaan Baptist Church, Baptist church in Bessemer, Alabama.

Canaan Baptist Church is a one-story contemporary brick church at the corner of 9th Avenue and 15th Street in downtown Bessemer, Alabama. The congregation has held this lot since 1889; the present building, the second on the site, was constructed in 1961 under pastor J. H. Browder, with George Wilson of Selma as contractor. Its basement meeting rooms and large sanctuary hosted civil rights planning.

The church began in 1865 when members established their own congregation after leaving a segregated white church. The original building was torn down in 1959, prompting construction of the current structure.

The congregation became known for its community work beyond Sunday services. It started a Credit Union in 1964 to help local families access fair loans and financial support.

The building is accessible and easy to locate in Bessemer's residential neighborhoods. As an active place of worship, it is best to visit during community events or after checking local service schedules.

The 1959 condemnation of the twin-tower church came after two other Black churches in Bessemer burned in 1958, fires city officials attributed to wiring; local African Americans suspected arson. The congregation rebuilt in 1961 and added a kindergarten in the basement for children barred from public school programs.