Richard Allen (1760-1831) was a minister, educator, activist, abolitionist, and writer born on what we know as Valentines Day now, February 14th, 1760. He was born into slavery in Philadelphia, PA and enslaved by Benjamin Chew who later sold Allen and his family to a man named Stokely Sturgis around 1768. Known as “Negro Richard” Allen converted to Methodism at the age of 17 after hearing a white travelling Methodist preacher protest slavery.
In 1783 Allen purchased his freedom for $2,000. The papers detailing his freedom became the first manumission document to be held as a public file and was donated to the Pennsylvania Abolition Society.
How Religious Leadership Began for Allen
Allen was originally a member of and later became an assistant minister of St. George's Methodist Episcopal Church where Black and White people worshipped together. He conducted prayer meetings for Blacks. Allen was also the first Black person to be ordained in the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Allen got fed up with the treatment of Black parishioners at the St. George's Episcopal church including segregated pews and facilities. He left the church with all the other Black parishioners forming a walkout and decided to start the first national Black church in the United States.
Allen got fed up with the treatment of Black parishioners at the St. George's Episcopal church including segregated pews and facilities. He left the church with all the other Black parishioners forming a walkout and decided to start the first national Black church in the United States.
Helping the Black Community
With help from another former Black St. George's Episcopal parishioner, Reverend Absalom Jones, Allen helped found the Free African Society (FAS), a non-denominational religious mutual-aid society dedicated to helping the Black community. A era later, scholar and NAACP founder W.E.B. Du Bois called the FAS "the first wavering step of a people toward organized social life.”
With help from another former Black St. George's Episcopal parishioner, Reverend Absalom Jones, Allen helped found the Free African Society (FAS), a non-denominational religious mutual-aid society dedicated to helping the Black community. A era later, scholar and NAACP founder W.E.B. Du Bois called the FAS "the first wavering step of a people toward organized social life.”
The AME Church is Formed
In 1794, Allen and several other Black Methodists founded the Bethel Church, a Black Episcopal meeting, in an old blacksmith’s shop. With help from his second wife, Sarah, Allen also helped to hide escaped enslaved people in the basement of the Bethel Church which was a stop on the Underground Railroad. Bethel Church became known as "Mother Bethel" because it eventually birthed the African Methodist Episcopal Church, now known as the AME Church.
Today, the AME Church has more than 2.5 million members globally and is one of the largest Methodist denominations in the world.
Sources: biography.com; HSP.org; hmdb.org
In 1794, Allen and several other Black Methodists founded the Bethel Church, a Black Episcopal meeting, in an old blacksmith’s shop. With help from his second wife, Sarah, Allen also helped to hide escaped enslaved people in the basement of the Bethel Church which was a stop on the Underground Railroad. Bethel Church became known as "Mother Bethel" because it eventually birthed the African Methodist Episcopal Church, now known as the AME Church.
Today, the AME Church has more than 2.5 million members globally and is one of the largest Methodist denominations in the world.
Sources: biography.com; HSP.org; hmdb.org
No comments:
Post a Comment