May 7, 1855

Elias Camp Morris, noted pastor of Centennial Baptist Church in Helena (Phillips County), was born near Springplace, Georgia. In 1894, he became president of the National Baptist Convention (NBC), the largest denomination of black Christians in the United States. Recognized by white Arkansans and the nation as a leader of the black community, he often served as a liaison between black and white communities on both the state and national level.