Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church
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Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church ("Metropolitan AME Church") is a historic church located at 1518 M Street, N.W., in downtown
Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
It affiliates with the
African Methodist Episcopal Church The African Methodist Episcopal Church, usually called the AME Church or AME, is a predominantly African American Methodist denomination. It adheres to Wesleyan-Arminian theology and has a connexional polity. The African Methodist Episcopal ...
.


History

The congregation was founded in 1838 as Union Bethel (Metropolitan) A. M. E. Church. In 1880,
John W. Stevenson John White Stevenson (May 4, 1812August 10, 1886) was the List of Governors of Kentucky, 25th governor of Kentucky and represented the state in both houses of the United States Congress, U.S. Congress. The son of former Speaker of the United St ...
was appointed by Bishop
Daniel Payne Daniel Alexander Payne (February 24, 1811 – November 2, 1893) was an American bishop, educator, college administrator and author. A major shaper of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (A.M.E.), Payne stressed education and preparation of mi ...
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 after asking for a salary that was deemed too high. The new building was dedicated on May 30, 1886 and was constructed by architect George Dearing. According to the church, it is the oldest continuously black-owned property in the original 10-mile-square parcel of the District. The funerals of abolitionist
Frederick Douglass Frederick Douglass (born Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, February 1817 or 1818 – February 20, 1895) was an American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman. After escaping from slavery in Maryland, he became ...
(1895) and civil-rights activist
Rosa Parks Rosa Louise McCauley Parks (February 4, 1913 – October 24, 2005) was an American activist in the civil rights movement best known for her pivotal role in the Montgomery bus boycott. The United States Congress has honored her as "th ...
(2005) were held in the church. The building was added to the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
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. President Barack Obama attended services here on Sunday, January 20, 2013, before his second inauguration. A
Black Lives Matter Black Lives Matter (abbreviated BLM) is a decentralized political and social movement that seeks to highlight racism, discrimination, and racial inequality experienced by black people. Its primary concerns are incidents of police br ...
banner was stolen from the church and burned during a pro-Trump march on December 12, 2020. Proud Boys leader
Enrique Tarrio :''The surname'' Tarrio ''is of Spanish language origin. In Spanish, it is spelled'' Tarrío'', with an acute accent on the'' í. Henry "Enrique" Tarrio ( , ; born ) is an American activist, former FBI informant, and convicted felon who ser ...
was later arrested by Washington, D.C. police and charged with one count of destruction of property, a misdemeanor offense. On January 4, 2021, the church filed a lawsuit against both Proud Boys International, LLC, and Tarrio; neither responded and the church is now seeking default judgment against both.


See also

*
National Register of Historic Places listings in the District of Columbia This is a list of properties and districts in Washington, D.C., on the National Register of Historic Places. There are more than 600 listings, including 74 National Historic Landmarks of the United States and another 13 places otherwise designated ...


References


External links

* * * Churches completed in 1886 19th-century Methodist church buildings in the United States African-American history of Washington, D.C. African Methodist Episcopal churches Gothic Revival church buildings in Washington, D.C. Churches on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington, D.C. Religious organizations established in 1838 1838 establishments in the United States {{WashingtonDC-NRHP-stub