March 26, 1831 - Richard Allen, Founder of AME Church, Dies

Richard Allen, engraved portrait, early 19th century. Public domain. Source: Wikimedia Commons. Image enlarged and digitally color-enhanced using ChatGPT (AI-assisted rendering based on the original public-domain engraving).

Richard Allen, founder and first bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, died on March 26, 1831. Born into slavery in Delaware in 1760, Allen purchased his freedom and became a Methodist preacher. His ministry unfolded during a period of racial discrimination within American churches, even in Methodist congregations.

After experiencing segregation at St. George’s Methodist Church in Philadelphia, Allen and others withdrew and eventually established the AME Church in 1816—the first independent Black denomination in the United States. Allen was elected its first bishop.

Committed not only to preaching but to education, Allen founded Sabbath Schools to promote literacy among African Americans. He believed spiritual growth and intellectual development were inseparable. His leadership combined evangelical fervor with social advocacy, addressing both personal salvation and community uplift.

The AME Church became a major force in African American religious life, shaping worship, education, and civil rights advocacy for generations.

Allen’s life illustrates the intersection of faith and justice. In the face of racial exclusion, he did not abandon Christianity but helped build institutions that affirmed dignity, freedom, and the transforming power of the Gospel.