Historic Black Churches Divided on Joining America's 250th Anniversary Celebrations
As the United States marked its 250th anniversary in July 2026, historic Black churches split on whether to join the festivities. Mother Bethel AME Church in Philadelphia chose to honor Black heroes like Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass, while other congregations opted out, citing the country's racial history.
Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia joined America's 250th anniversary celebrations in July 2026, ringing bells and performing gospel songs to honor Black historical figures. The church, the first autonomous Black congregation in the country and a former Underground Railroad station, welcomed visitors and held community events throughout the day.
Lead pastor Carolyn Cavaness said the occasion demanded recognition of Black heroes. "Those heroes, those heroines, their names deserved to be called," she said, naming Richard Allen, Harriet Tubman, and Frederick Douglass.
Other historic Black churches took a different path. Terrance King, pastor at St. James AME Zion Church in Ithaca, New York, one of the last Underground Railroad stations, said his congregation would not participate. Instead, he planned sermons on what it means to be made in the image of God and the inherent value of every person.
The divide reflects broader tensions within the Black church. Some pastors said they would rather focus on reversing steep membership declines than planning anniversary events. Attendance at Mother Bethel has dropped from a peak of 4,100 congregants in 1830 to about 250 on a typical Sunday. St. Paul AME Church in Lexington, Kentucky, another Underground Railroad site, now considers 50 attendees a good week.
Churches have tried different strategies to stay connected to their communities. Mother Bethel hosts farmers' markets to support local entrepreneurs and improve access to fresh produce. St. Paul recently held a fair to help families with incarcerated loved ones. St. James helped establish a local NAACP chapter and hosted a Juneteenth gospel concert.
Scholars say these institutions remain vital repositories of Black history and community identity, even as they work to attract younger generations and adapt to changing social patterns.
