Archives West Finding Aid

The University Baptist Church (UBC) is located in the Seattle near the University of Washington.

UBC declared itself a sanctuary for Central American refugees on December 5, 1982, becoming the first publicly declared sanctuary in the Northwest, the first American Baptist sanctuary in the U.S., and the seventh publicly declared church sanctuary in the nation. UBC successfully petitioned the city of Seattle to declare itself a Sanctuary City, sent relief workers and supplies to El Salvador, and toured the Northwest advocating the sanctuary program's implementation in those areas. Members of UBC also founded Amparo, a newsletter about the sanctuary movement in the Puget Sound area. In addition, UBC was an active local voice in opposition to U.S. foreign policy.

The controversy over Central America and UBC's activism frequently brought the UBC into conflicts with government agencies and, as a result, into the newspaper headlines. Beginning in 1985, the federal government began to indict sanctuary workers for harboring and assisting illegal immigrants. In order to facilitate these prosecutions, immigration officials arrested refugees to provide testimonies. On January 14, 1985, the same day that 16 indictments were made against Tucson sanctuary workers, seven UBC refugees were arrested in Seattle. In July 1985, the UBC was burglarized. Similar crimes were committed nationally against sanctuary churches, causing many to attribute the crime to the FBI. These concerns, and perceived attacks against the sanctuary movement, further fanned the accusations of governmental abuse and violation of religious freedom, in turn inspiring greater determination on the part of the congregation. UBC and its members posted bail for the numerous refugees and aided in the many legal battles that ensued while continuing to provide a haven for those escaping persecution in Central America.

Donovan Cook was pastor of the congregation during the 1980s.