St. Paul A.M.E. Church

Infobox_nrhp | name =St. Paul A.M.E. Church
nrhp_type =


caption =
location= Raleigh, North Carolina
lat_degrees = 35
lat_minutes = 46
lat_seconds = 53.57
lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 78
long_minutes = 38
long_seconds = 43.93
long_direction = W
locmapin = North Carolina
area =
built =1884
architect= Unknown
architecture= Late Gothic Revival
added = November 05, 1987
governing_body = Private
refnum=80004607cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2007-01-23|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service] __NOTOC__The St. Paul A.M.E. Church is a historic Gothic Revival style African Methodist Episcopal Church located in Raleigh, North Carolina. Built in 1884, it was the first independent of African Americans in Raleigh and is the oldest African-American church in Wake County, North Carolina. Before the end of the Civil War, the future founders of St. Paul's had been slave members of the Edenton Street Methodist Church. The members of the church began calling their congregation "St. Paul's" in 1848. The church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in November 1987 and is a Raleigh Historic Landmark.

From 1846 to 1853, Edenton Street’s black membership worshipped at Old Christ Church in Raleigh. After white Methodists bought the building in 1853, the members moved to a different building at the intersection of Edenton and Harrington streets. In 1865, the black congregation left the Edenton Street Church and became affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church, a denomination organized by Richard Allen in 1816. St. Paul's became the first African Methodist congregation in Raleigh and Wake County.

After slavery was abolished, St. Paul's ministers became activists in black politics during the Reconstruction period. Some of North Carolina’s foremost black spokesmen, such as State Senator Henry Eppes, Legislator Stewart Ellison and R. W. H. Leak, a leader in the late 19th century Republican-Populist movement, were members of St. Paul's.

In 1884 the cornerstone of the new church was laid. Due to financial strains of its members, construction of the new St. Paul's Church took 25 years to complete. Because of low wages and the economic struggles of most Southerners during Reconstruction, many members chose to live on bread and molasses in order to raise enough money to complete the church. In May of 1901, the building was completed and the congregation marked the sanctuary’s completion with a two week revival. Governor Charles B. Aycock delivered a speech when the church finally opened and "The News & Observer" described St. Paul's new building as "one of the handsomest colored churches in the South." Although the majority of the church had been built, construction on the spire did not take place for another eight years. In 1909 an accidental fire consumed most of the building, leaving only the brick walls. Donations from the white and black community resulted in reconstruction of the church with the planned spire added.

During the Civil Rights era, meetings and rallies took place at St. Paul's. In 1988 Jesse Jackson delivered his "Rainbow Coalition" speech at the church.cite web| last=| first=| title="St. Paul AME Church" | work=| publisher=National Park Service| date=| url=http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/raleigh/stp.htm| accessdate=2008-03-20] cite web| last=| first=| title="Historical Highlights" | work=| publisher=Saint Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church | date=| url=http://www.stpaulamechurch.com/| accessdate=2008-03-20]

ee also

* List of Registered Historic Places in North Carolina

References

External links

* [http://www.stpaulamechurch.com/ Church website]