Absalom Jones 1746-1818

Born near this place on a plantation known as “Cedar Town”, Jones moved to Philadelphia in 1762 and in 1784 purchased his freedom. He helped to establish the Free African Society in 1787. A leader of the independent African-American church movement, in 1792 he organized St. Thomas’ African Episcopal Church (Philadelphia) and in 1804 became […]

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Bishop Richard Allen, Founder of the A.M.E. Church

Richard Allen founded and became the first Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1816. Born into slavery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on February 14, 1760, Allen and his family were sold to a family near Dover in 1772. While there, he purchased his freedom, became a minister and joined the Continental Army as a […]

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