Historic Black Churches Split on America 250 Celebrations
As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, historic Black churches are taking different approaches to the national celebrations. Mother Bethel AME Church in Philadelphia is welcoming visitors and hosting events to honor Black historical figures, while other congregations, citing racial history and current tensions, have chosen to sit out the festivities entirely.
Historic Black churches across the United States are responding in different ways to America's 250th anniversary celebrations, with some embracing the moment and others stepping back.
Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia, the first autonomous Black church in the country and a former Underground Railroad station, has opened its doors to visitors and is hosting events to honor Black pioneers including Richard Allen, Harriet Tubman, and Frederick Douglass.
"I don't know if there has been any one moment more sacred than this past week with so many people coming to know and love our church," said Carolyn Cavaness, lead pastor at Mother Bethel.
The church, founded in 1794 by Richard Allen, who was born into slavery and purchased his freedom, plans to ring bells bearing the names of Black historical figures and feature gospel music performances on a local radio station.
Other congregations have taken a different path. St. James AME Zion Church in Ithaca, New York, chose not to participate in the national celebrations, with its pastor citing the country's racial history and the current political climate.
In Kingston, New York, the Old Dutch Church and Harambee Kingston hosted a "Black Fourth of July Commemoration" on July 7, focused on Black heritage and a sober reflection on the unfulfilled promises of liberty. The event featured music, poetry, and readings on the history of slavery.
Many historic Black churches are also grappling with declining attendance. Mother Bethel, which once drew 4,100 worshippers weekly at its peak in 1830, now sees about 250 each Sunday. Gentrification, shifting generational interests, and competition from online worship have all contributed to the decline.
Historian Gerard Aching noted that many churches destroyed evidence of their Underground Railroad participation to avoid punishment, so the full scope of their role may never be known.
