Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church

Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church ("Metropolitan AME Church") is a historic church located at 1518 M Street, N.W., in downtown Washington, D.C. It affiliates with the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church
Metropolitan AME Church in 2020
Location1518 M Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.
Coordinates38°54′19″N 77°2′9″W
Area0.3 acres (0.12 ha)
Built1886
ArchitectSamuel G. T. Morsell
Architectural styleGothic Revival
NRHP reference No.73002102[1]
Added to NRHPJuly 26, 1973

History

The congregation was founded in 1838 as Union Bethel (Metropolitan) A. M. E. Church. In 1880, John W. Stevenson was appointed by Bishop Daniel Payne to be pastor of the church for the purpose of building a new church, which would become Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church. The cornerstone was laid in September, 1881. However, Stevenson's methods were upsetting to some of his congregation, and Stevenson was removed before the building was finished[2] after asking for a salary that was deemed too high.[3] The new building was dedicated on May 30, 1886[4] and was constructed by architect George Dearing.[5] According to the church, it is the oldest continuously black-owned property in the original 10-mile-square parcel of the District.[6] The funerals of abolitionist Frederick Douglass (1895), the first African American U.S. Senator, Blanche Bruce (1898), and civil-rights activist Rosa Parks (2005) were held in the church. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. In May 2010, the National Trust for Historic Preservation added the building to its list of 11 of America's Most Endangered Places due to water damage and other structural problems requiring $11 million in renovations.[6]

President Barack Obama attended services here on Sunday, January 20, 2013, before his second inauguration.[7]

A Black Lives Matter banner was stolen from the church and burned during a pro-Trump march on December 12, 2020.[8] Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio was later arrested by Washington, D.C. police and charged with one count of destruction of property, a misdemeanor offense.[9][10] A statement released by the church had filed a lawsuit against both Proud Boys and Tarrio.[11][12]

See also

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. Cromwell, John W. "The First Negro Churches in the District of Columbia." The Journal of Negro History 7, no. 1 (1922): p73-75
  3. Pastor Stevenson's Scalp, The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, New York) June 1, 1888, page 1, accessed December 9, 2016 at https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7789148/pastor_stevensons_scalp_the_brooklyn/
  4. Simmons, William J., and Henry McNeal Turner. Men of Mark: Eminent, Progressive and Rising. GM Rewell & Company, 1887. p820-828
  5. "Metropolitan AME Church". nps.gov. Retrieved July 7, 2016.
  6. Ruane, Michael E. (May 19, 2010). "Historic D.C. church lands on most-endangered list". The Washington Post. p. B01. Retrieved May 20, 2010.
  7. Harris, Hamil R. (January 20, 2013). "Obamas attend church prior to White House swearing-in". The Washington Post. Image credits: Hamil Harris/TWP. Washington DC: WPC. ISSN 0190-8286. OCLC 464372658. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
  8. Hermann, Peter (December 18, 2020). "Proud Boys leader says he burned Black Lives Matter banner stolen from church during demonstrations in D.C." The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved January 4, 2021.
  9. Hermann, Peter; Weil, Martin (January 4, 2021). "Proud Boys leader arrested in the burning of Black Lives Matter banner, D.C. police say". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved January 4, 2021.
  10. Lambert, Evan (January 4, 2021). "Proud Boys' leader Enrique Tarrio arrested in DC, police say". Fox 5 DC. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  11. "DC church suing Proud Boys over Black Lives Matter sign vandalism". Fox 5 DC. January 4, 2020. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  12. "Protesters Ripped, Set Fire to BLM Signs at DC Churches, Organizers Respond". NBC 5 Washington. January 4, 2020. Retrieved January 5, 2020.


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