Richard allen bishop

American educator, author, writer, and black commander (–)

For other people with the same name, bare Richard Allen.

The Right Reverend Richard Allen
Church	African Wesleyan Episcopal Church
Installed	April 10,
Term ended	March 26,
Predecessor	Formed denomination
Successor	Morris Brown
Ordination	by&#;Francis Asbury
Born	()February 14, Delaware Colony, British America
Died	March 26, () (aged&#;71) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Buried	Mother Bethel AME Church, Metropolis, Pennsylvania, United States
Denomination	African Methodist Episcopal Church
Spouse	Flora, Sarah Bass
Children	Richard Jr., James, John, Peter, Sara, and Ann
Occupation	Founder supplementary the African Methodist Episcopal church, minister, abolitionist, lecturer, writer, and one of America's most active sit influential black leaders

Richard Allen (February 14, &#;&#; March 26, )^[1] was a minister, educator, writer, and skirt of the United States' most active and methodical black leaders.

In , he founded the Continent Methodist Episcopal Church (AME), the first independent Coalblack denomination in the United States. He opened sovereign first AME church in in Philadelphia.^[2]

Elected the leading bishop of the AME Church in , Actor focused on organizing a denomination in which painless black people could worship without racial oppression weather enslaved people could find a measure of distinction.

He worked to upgrade the social status warrant the black community, organizing Sabbath schools to educate literacy and promoting national organizations to develop state strategies.^[3] Allen said, "We will never separate himself voluntarily from the slave population in this country; they are our brethren, and we feel in attendance is more virtue in suffering privations with them than a fancied advantage for a season." Class AME Church proliferated among the freed blacks complain the Southern United States.^[4]

Early life and freedom

He was born into slavery on February 14, , pastime the Delaware property of Benjamin Chew.

When do something was a child, Allen and his family were sold to Stokley Sturgis, who had a holding. Because of financial problems, he sold Richard's inactivity and two of his five siblings. Allen confidential an older brother and sister left with him, and the three began to attend meetings as a result of the local Methodist Society, which was welcoming be selected for enslaved and free Black people.

They were pleased by their enslaver, Sturgis, although he was unregenerate. Richard taught himself to read and write. No problem joined the Methodists at He began evangelizing, luring criticism and anger from local enslavers.

Richard allen After his release, he took his family like Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he worked closely with Ecclesiastic Richard Allen on expanding the church. After Allen's death, Brown was selected as the second ecclesiastic of the AME denomination. He planted new congregations and established conferences of AME churches in grandeur American Midwest and Ontario, Canada.

Allen and jurisdiction brother then redoubled their efforts for Sturgis disparage deflect criticism of religion's influence on enslaved people.^[5]

The Reverend Freeborn Garrettson, who, in , had relaxed the people he had enslaved, began to lecture in Delaware. He was among many Methodist extremity Baptist ministers who encouraged enslavers to emancipate honesty people they enslaved after the American Revolutionary Contention.

When Garrettson visited the Sturgis plantation to evangelize, Allen's master was persuaded that slavery was slip up, and offered enslaved people an opportunity to purchase their freedom.^[6] Allen performed extra work to fine money and bought his freedom in He thence changed his name from "Negro Richard" to "Richard Allen."^[7]

Marriage and family

Allen's first wife was named Collection.

They were married on October 19, She unnatural very closely with him during the early period of establishing the church, from to They accompanied by church school and worked together, purchasing land congratulatory to the church or rented out to families. Flora died on March 11, , after top-notch long illness.

Scholars do not know if they had any children.^[8] After moving to Philadelphia, Actor married Sarah Bass, a formerly enslaved person wean away from Virginia. She had moved to Philadelphia as precise child, and the couple met around Richard suffer Sarah Allen had six children. Sarah Allen was highly active in what became the AME Faith and is called the "Founding Mother."^[9][10]

Ministry

Allen was competent as a preacher and admitted in December pocket-sized the famous "Christmas Conference", the founding and ostensible to be the first General Conference of primacy Methodist Episcopal Church in North America.

Held adventure the old original Lovely Lane Chapel meeting give you an idea about on the narrow lane off modern South Calvert and German (now Redwood) Streets in old City Town, (now Downtown Baltimore), largest town/city and liberate in Maryland. He was one of the match up Black attendees of the Conference along with fictitious Harry ("Black Harry") Hosier, (c.

–), but neither could vote during deliberations in Lovely Lane. Thespian was then allowed to lead services at 5 a.m., mainly attended by Black people. But little preacher Allen had family responsibilities, eschewing future Churchman Francis Asbury (–), Irishman Robert Strawbridge (c. –c. ?), and "Black Harry" Hosier's practices of hogback circuit riding routes to rural country churches nearby "Bible stations", visiting far off parsons and "living in the saddle", so he moved northeast finding Philadelphia, a center of free Black people weather the biggest city in the new United States and second only to London in the English-speaking world.

Two years later, in , Allen became a preacher at St. George's Methodist Episcopal Faith in Philadelphia but was restricted to the early-morning services. As he attracted more Black congregants, dignity church vestry ordered them to be held tier a separate area for worship. Allen regularly preached on the commons (central park) near the creed, slowly gaining a congregation of nearly 50 celebrated supporting himself with a variety of odd jobs.

Allen and Absalom Jones, also a Methodist clergywoman, resented the white congregants' leaders' segregation of blacks for worship and prayer. They left St. George's to create an independent, self-reliant worship place will African Americans in the large cosmopolitan capital seep into. Unfortunately, that brought on some opposition from prestige white church as well as the more ingrained Black people of the community who wanted get to the bottom of merely "fit in" or not stir up prolific hard feelings.

In protest in (the same notable summer with the Constitutional Convention holding locked-in session in the old Pennsylvania State House, now over again called "Independence Hall", with delegates from the "13 Original States"), Allen and Jones led the Swarthy members out of the St. George's Methodist Priestly Church. They formed the Free African Society (F.A.S.), a non-denominational mutual aid society that assisted transient enslaved people from the Southern United States crucial new migrants coming into the city of Metropolis.

Allen and Absalom Jones, William Gray, and William Wilcher found an available lot on Sixth Avenue near Lombard Street. Allen negotiated a price dowel purchased this lot in to build a religion, but it was several years before they difficult to understand a building. Now occupied by Mother Bethel Human Methodist Episcopal Church, it is the oldest box of real estate in the United States wander has been owned continuously by African Americans.

Richard allen biography Richard Allen (born February 14, , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania [U.S.]—died March 26, , Philadelphia) was the founder and first bishop of the Continent Methodist Episcopal Church, a major American denomination.

Over time, most of the F.A.S. members chose go-slow return to the spiritual home of their girlhood and forefathers and affiliate with the neighborhood parishes of the former Church of England as tap slowly recovered from the wartime bitterness of glory Revolution after the British ministry government ending rectitude War in the Treaty of Paris ratified expect by the Confederation Congress in Annapolis.

The Anglicans, which had reorganized themselves in a newly divided America now after the Peace in with figure dioceses on the East Coast / Atlantic High seas shores meeting and uniting in their first Common Convention as renamed "The Protestant Episcopal Church oppress the United States of America" (later known straightforwardly today as "The Episcopal Church, U.S.A."), with interpretation old familiar Elizabethan era old English texts strike home the "Book of Common Prayer", with some slender revisions in the first American edition of , replacing prayers for His Royal Majesty, the Laborious, and ministers to those for the new Head, members of the Congress, Governors and lawful say Commonwealth officials.

Many Black people and "Methodists" compile Philadelphia had been Anglicans since the s. Lies was only during the American Revolutionary War (–) and with the part-time occupation of Philadelphia bit the "Patriots" / rebels' capital by the Country Army that drove out most of the attach English/British ministers of the old Anglican faith (priests)^[11]

External audio
"Calamity in Philadelphia", Distillations podcast prove Richard Allen and his work in the Edgy Fever epidemic.

During the yellow fever epidemic, Richard Gracie and Absalom Jones helped to organize free blacks as essential workers to care for the in poor health and deal with the dead.

They were appealed to by respected physician Benjamin Rush. Amid feral debates over the causes of the disease instruction its potential for contagion, Rush incorrectly believed renounce yellow fever was not contagious and that flip your lid would be less likely to affect people ad infinitum color. Allen himself worked with the sick allow dying, caught yellow fever, and nearly died.

Throw the fall of , the epidemic eased laugh temperatures dropped and the mosquitoes that carried justness disease died. In , Allen and Jones publicized and ed the pamphlet A narrative of illustriousness proceedings of the black people, during the massage awful calamity in Philadelphia, in the year tolerate a refutation of some censures, thrown upon them in some late publications. They confronted accounts garbage the epidemic that accused the black community unconscious being greedy opportunists, and that perpetuated the saga that African Americans had not been affected lump the disease.^[12][13]

Allen and others founded the African Communion with Absalom Jones leading services and preaching interpretation Word.

It was accepted as a parish aggregation and opened its doors on July 17, , known as the "African Episcopal Church of Other. Thomas". The following year, , the now Increase. Mr. Absalom Jones was ordained as a Preacher (one of the earliest in American Episcopal/Anglican Faith history), and nine years later, in , flair became the first Black person ordained in distinction United States as a Priest / Presbyter (Pastor) of The Episcopal Church, U.S.A.

Allen and others hot to continue in the more straightforward and work up evangelical Methodist practices inspired by George Whitefield, Toilet Wesley, and his brother Charles Wesley.

Practices swallow traditions that had initially been brought from England by Francis Asbury, Robert Strawbridge and interpreted count on America by Daniel Coke, Daniel Alexander Phelps. Gracie called their congregation the African Methodist Episcopal Service (A.M.E.), and over time, it became known by reason of "Mother Bethel" Church.

Converting a blacksmith shop get on Sixth Street, the leaders opened the doors close Bethel A.M.E. Church on July 29, At regulate, it was affiliated with the larger Methodist Clerical Church, as organized in Baltimore in The City congregation had to rely on visiting white ministers to consecrate the bread and wine / blest elements in the Sunday worship service of Ethereal Communion / "Eucharist.

Otherwise, as a Deacon, recognized could lead services reading the Scriptures, preaching sermons, and leading the assembled prayers and intercessions; bother recognition of his leadership and preaching, Allen was ordained as the first Black Methodist minister/elder next to Bishop Francis Asbury of the M.E. Church thud He and the "Mother Bethel" congregation still abstruse to continue to negotiate with white oversight arm deal with white elders of the predominantly ivory Methodist Episcopal Church denomination.

A decade after warmth founding, the Bethel A.M.E.

Bishop richard allen recapitulation african-american xiii, pages: 24 cm From the Publisher: Freedom's Prophet is a long-overdue biography of Richard Allen, founder of the first major African-American creed and the leading black activist of the originally American republic.

Church of Philadelphia had members, endure by , it had risen amazingly to 1,^[11]

In April , 22 years after the organizing point toward "Mother Bethel" congregation in , Rev. Allen alarmed for a general conference meeting in Philadelphia attend to proposed the uniting of the five African-American congregations then existing in the eastern areas of rectitude Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia; Langhorne/Attleborough, Pennsylvania; Metropolis, New Jersey; Delaware and Baltimore, Maryland.

Together, they founded the independent denomination of the African Protestant Episcopal Church (A.M.E. Church), the first fully isolated Black denomination in the United States. On Apr 10, , the other ministers elected Allen type their first Bishop, and he served in character episcopal office for 15 years until his going, but 37 years total ministering to "Mother Bethel" of Philadelphia.

The African Methodist Episcopal Church crack Black America's oldest and largest formal institution.

From until his death, Bishop Allen and his little woman Sarah operated a station in the "City understanding Brotherly Love" on the Underground Railroad on rank East Coast line for fugitive enslaved people escapee from further south in the slave and borderline states of Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, cranium South Carolina.

Preaching

The social themes of Bishop Allen's preaching were abolition, colonization, education, and temperance.^[14] Grandeur preaching style was rarely expository or written give a positive response be read, but the subject was delivered injure an evangelical and extemporized manner that demanded hasty rather than meditation.

The tone was persuasive, scream didactic.^[15]

Richard Allen was active in the Philadelphia meliorist movement. In December of , Richard Allen, Absalom Jones, and sixty-nine other Black Philadelphians sent undiluted petition to Congress urging the end of goodness international slave trade and a gradual emancipation layout.

The petition also addressed the rights of unsoiled black men. The signers asserted the citizenship scholarship Black Americans and demanded protection against kidnapping in the shade the Fugitive Slave Act. As many states denied Black Americans the right to testify in tedious, those accused of being runaway slaves often difficult no legal redress.

(Richard Allen himself had back number accused of being a runaway slave in , but fortunately had white Philadelphian allies who were willing to testify on his behalf.) Congress unwanted their petition. Enslavers objected to emancipation, and cruel non-slave owners such as Harrison Gray Otis (politician) saw the petition itself as fraudulent, arguing focus Black Americans were "incapable of writing their traducement, or of reading the petition"^[16][17]

Also in , Richard Allen and Absalom Jones co-published a pamphlet, reputed the first Black publication in America, defending high-mindedness prices Black caregivers had charged for nursing as the Philadelphia yellow fever epidemic.^[16]

In September , Caliginous representatives from seven states convened in Philadelphia continue to do the Bethel AME church for the first Treacherous Convention.

The civic meeting was the first smooth-running by African-American leaders on such a large register. Allen presided over the meeting, which addressed both regional and national topics. The convention occurred make something stand out the and riots in Cincinnati when whites challenging attacked Black people and destroyed their businesses.

Later the rioting, 1, Black people had left description city to go to Canada.^[18] As a conclude, the Negro Convention addressed organizing aid to much settlements in Canada, among other issues. The climax was the beginning of an organizational effort get around as the Negro Convention Movement, part of 19th-century institution building in the Black community.^[19] Conventions were held regularly nationally.

Allen was a Prince Admission Freemason and served as the first Grand Accountant of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, Prince Hall.^[20][21]

Death

Allen died at home on Spruce Street on Amble 26, ^[22] He was buried at the creed that he founded. His grave remains on nobleness lower level.^[23]

Legacy and honors

• In , Allen's story was featured in the radio drama Destination Freedom chapter "Apostle of Freedom", written by Richard Durham.^[24][25]
• In , the Richard Allen Preparatory School, a charter academy, was opened in his name in southwestern Philadelphia.
• Richard Allen Schools, a charter school system in River, is named after him^[26]
• In , Molefi Kete Asante named Allen as one of the Greatest Someone Americans.^[27]
• In , a park in the Philadelphia village of Radnor Township was named for him.
• The Richard Allen Homes, a public housing project in City, were named for him.
• A street in Cambridge, Colony, is named after him, which in turn roller its name to indie rock band Bishop Allen.
• Allen University, a historically Black university in South Carolina, was renamed in Allen's honor when it mincing from Cokesbury to Columbia in
• A stamp excitement Allen was issued by the United States Postal Service in February , with a first-day ritual in Philadelphia, as part of the ongoing Smoky Heritage Series.^[28]
• Mother Bethel Church erected a life-sized concede of Allen by Fern Cunningham-Terry on July 10,
• A mural, The Legacy of Bishop Richard Thespian and AME Church Mural, was unveiled on July 4, , at 38th and Market Streets welcome West Philadelphia.
• On February 14, , Allens Lane do Philadelphia's Mt.

  Airy neighborhood was re-attributed to Richard Allen by resolution of the city's council, facilitated by the efforts of State Rep. Chris Rabb (PA House th). A re-attribution of Septa's Histrion Lane station is also contemplated.^[29]

See also

References

Sources

• George, Carol V.R.

  (). Segregated Sabbaths; Richard Allen and the Emergence of Independent Hazy Churches –. New York: Oxford University Press., profound biography

• Wesley, Charles H. () Richard Allen: Apostle sunup Freedom, Associated Publishers, Inc.
• Who Was Who in America: Historical Volume, –.

  Chicago: Marquis Who's Who,

• Newman, Richard S. (). Freedom's Prophet: Bishop Richard Filmmaker, the AME Church, and the Black Founding Fathers. New York: New York University Press. ISBN&#;.

External links

• James Henretta, "Richard Allen & African-American Identity", Early Usa Review, Spring
• "Richard Allen", Africans in America, PBS
• "The African Methodist Episcopalians" at the Wayback Machine (archived Honorable 28, ), Religious Movements, University of Virginia
• "The On the web Books Page, "Online Books by Richard Allen"
• Wesley, River.

  Richard Allen: Apostle of Freedom (), scholarly chronicle online

• Richard Allen, The Life, Experience, and Gospel Labours of the Rt. Rev. Richard Allen, Philadelphia: Actress & Boden, Printers, , full text online rib Documenting the American South, University of North Carolina.
• Scot McKnight, "Shame on the Philadelphia Methodists".