Richard Preston came to Nova Scotia from Virginia in 1815. A very religious man, he was active in organizing Baptist churches in the province. He was later sent to England to solicit funds for church development and returned in 1832 as an ordained minister to take charge of the Black Baptist church. He was also instrumental in organizing the Black Abolitionist Society in 1846. He was the founder of six churches and organized the conference that saw the formation of the African Baptist Association. The Reverend Richard Preston is remembered today as perhaps the most important black religious leader in Nova Scotia's history. This sketch, done in the 1850s, shows Preston as an itinerant preacher spreading his message by horseback to outlying communities.
