In 1943, Milton Mathis received word from the Lord to start a church in San Jose. Working at the Growers Market on Taylor and Seventh Streets, Mathis would stroll through Japantown during his lunch breaks. He found a two-story building for rent on Sixth Street and decided to establish the church in that location. From its humble beginnings, the storefront church blossomed and became Prayer Garden Church.
In Episode 4 of “Discovering the Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown,” Pastor Paul Bates and his daughter, Jacqueline Bates, talk about the history of Prayer Garden Church, which has thrived in a predominantly Asian neighborhood for nearly 80 years. They discuss the church’s relationship with Japantown and its importance to the African American community, especially during these challenging times.
Join us in this ongoing series to discover the historic and cultural treasures of the San Jose Japantown community through the Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown, an Augmented Reality art project.
Location:
The event will be Facebook Live streamed like the previous Hidden Histories events. To watch the stream, please “like” and bookmark the page to watch the stream: https://www.facebook.com/JAMsjOfficial
For more info:
Email PublicPrograms@jamsj.org or call JAMsj at (408) 294-3138