Bethel AME Church in Lafayette Marks 180 Years With Historic Plaque Unveiling
Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Lafayette, Indiana, celebrated its 180th anniversary in June 2026 with the unveiling of a historical marker. Founded in 1846, the church educated Black children during the mid-19th century and hosted a speech by Frederick Douglass in 1867. The plaque recognizes the congregation's role in the region's civil rights history.
Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Lafayette, Indiana, marked its 180th anniversary in June 2026 with the unveiling of a historical plaque recognizing the congregation as the oldest Black church in Tippecanoe County.
Founded in 1846, Bethel AME served as one of the few places where Black children in the region could receive an education during the mid-19th century. The church also hosted a speech by abolitionist Frederick Douglass in 1867, a moment that community members say reflects the congregation's long history of advocacy.
The plaque ceremony drew current members, local historians, and elected officials. Speakers highlighted the church's role not just as a place of worship but as a center of education, community organizing, and resistance during the era of slavery and Reconstruction.
Bethel AME is part of the African Methodist Episcopal denomination, one of the oldest Black Protestant denominations in the United States. The AME Church was founded in 1816 by Bishop Richard Allen in Philadelphia after Black worshippers were segregated from white congregations.
The Lafayette church has continued to serve its community through the decades, adapting its programs to meet changing needs while maintaining its historical identity. Church leaders said the anniversary celebration was an opportunity to educate younger generations about the congregation's founding and its place in American history.
