Historic Black Churches Divided Over America 250 Celebrations
As the United States marked its 250th anniversary on July 4, 2026, historically Black churches took different approaches to the celebration. Mother Bethel AME Church in Philadelphia joined the festivities, honoring figures like Richard Allen and Harriet Tubman. Other congregations, including St. James AME Zion Church in Ithaca, New York, chose to sit out the celebrations, citing the country's history of racial injustice.
Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia rang bells and performed gospel music on July 4, 2026, as part of America's 250th anniversary celebrations. The church, the first AME congregation ever founded, welcomed visitors and honored its history as a stop on the Underground Railroad.
Lead pastor Carolyn Cavaness said the decision to participate was not simple. "One could make the argument that you shouldn't participate at all in light of where we are in this country," she said. "But then those heroes, those heroines, their names deserved to be called."
Not every historic Black church agreed. Terrance King, pastor at St. James AME Zion Church in Ithaca, New York, said his congregation would not join the celebrations. St. James was the last Underground Railroad station in Ithaca. King planned instead to preach on human dignity and critique the nation's racial history.
Historian Gerard Aching noted that Black churches were central to the Underground Railroad. "These were the places that afforded people who are running away with the opportunity to disappear into the Black free community," he said.
Mother Bethel was founded by Richard Allen in 1794. Allen, born into slavery, bought his freedom and co-founded the AME denomination after facing segregation at a Philadelphia Methodist church. The congregation once counted 4,100 weekly worshippers. Today, about 250 people attend each week.
Similar attendance declines affect other historic Black churches. St. Paul AME Church in Lexington, Kentucky, draws about 50 people on a typical Sunday. Church leaders point to changing demographics, streaming services, and gentrification as factors pushing longtime members away.
Despite the challenges, many congregations are finding ways to stay connected to their communities. Mother Bethel hosts farmers' markets. St. Paul AME offers legal aid for families of incarcerated people. St. James organizes block parties and gospel concerts.
