Historic African American Churches

Mt. Pisgah African Methodist Episcopal Church (est. 1754), Elsinboro, New Jersey
Courtesy US National Park Service

Historic African American Churches

The African American Church has long been considered one of the foundational and most influential institutions in black America.  This page is dedicated to highlighting the oldest of these institutions in states across the nation.  Listed below are African American churches by state which are at least one century old (founded in 1919 or earlier) and which are continuously operating until today.  In other words, one can attend service next Sunday in any church on this list. The oldest continuously operating church in each state is listed in Bold. 

We at BlackPast.org admit that this list is incomplete and that it will continue to grow over time.  If your church is not on this list please consider writing a 500 to 550 word entry for its inclusion.  If you are interested, please contact [email protected]. Do not send in information on your church without contacting BlackPast first. Your entry must conform to the website’s guidelines before it can be added to the list. Nonetheless we invite church members across the United States to add a profile of your house of worship to BlackPast.

Alabama

Huntsville
St. Bartley Primitive Baptist Church, 1808-

Montgomery
Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, 1883-

Arizona

Phoenix
Tanner Chapel AME Church, 1887-

Tucson
Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church, Tucson, Arizona, 1900-

Arkansas

Little Rock
First Missionary Baptist Church, 1845-

California

Los Angeles
First A.M.E. Church, 1872-

Oakland
First A.M.E. Church, 1858-

Sacramento
St. Andrews A.M.E. Church, 1850-

San Jose
Antioch Baptist Church, 1893-

Colorado

Denver
Zion Baptist Church, 1865- 
Shorter AME Church, 1868-

Connecticut

Hartford
Faith Congregational Church, 1819-

New Haven
St. Luke Episcopal Church, 1844-

Delaware

Wilmington
Ezion-Mount Carmel United Methodist Church, 1789-

District of Columbia

Metropolitan AME Church, 1821-

Mount Zion United Methodist Church, 1816-

Georgia

Atlanta
Big Bethel AME Church, 1847-
Ebenezer Baptist Church, 1855-
First Congregational Church, 1867-
Wheat Street Baptist Church, 1869-

Savannah
First African Baptist Church, 1773-

Florida

Jacksonville
Bethel Baptist Institutional Church, ca. 1865-

Illiniois

Alton
Salem Baptist Church, 1819-

Brooklyn
Quinn Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, c. 1830- 

Chicago
Olivet Baptist Church, 1850-

Indiana

Richmond
Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Richmond, Indiana, 1836- 

Iowa

Des Moines
Burns United Methodist Church, 1866-

Kansas

Topeka
St. John A.M.E., 1868-

Kentucky

Lexington
Pleasant Green Missionary Baptist Church, 1790

Louisiana

New Orleans
St. Augustine Catholic Church, 1841

Maryland

Baltimore
Bethel A.M.E., 1785-
St. Xavier Catholic Church, 1836-

Massachusetts

Boston
African Baptist Church, 1805-
Columbus Avenue AME Church, 1838-

Michigan

Detroit
Second Baptist Church of Detroit, 1844-

Minnesota

St. Paul
Pilgrim Baptist Church, 1863

Mississippi

Natchez
Rose Hill Missionary Baptist Church, 1854-

Vicksburg
Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, 1864-

Missouri

St. Louis
First Baptist Church, 1817

Montana

Great Falls
Union Bethel A.M.E. Church, 1890-

Helena
St. James A.M.E. Church, 1888-

Nebraska

Omaha
St. John AME Church, 1865-

New Hampshire

Pourtsmouth
People’s Baptist Church, 1873-

New Jersey

Elsinboro
Mt. Pisgah A.M.E., 1754-
*Oldest Continuously Operating African American Church in the United States*

Newark
Moorish Science Temple of America, 1913-

Princeton
Witherspoon Street Prebyterian Church, 1836-

New Mexico

Albuquerque
Grant Chapel AME Church, 1883-
Mt. Olive Baptist Church, 1899-

Las Cruces
Phillips Chapel CME Church, 1911-

New York

New York City
Mother African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, 1796-
Abyssinian Baptist Church, 1808-
St. Phillips Protestant Episcopal Church, 1809-
The Church of St. Mark, 1838-

North Carolina

Winston-Salem
St. Phillips Moravian Church, 1822-

Ohio

Cincinnati
Allen African Methodist Episcopal Church, 1824-

Oregon

Portland
Bethel A.M.E. Church, 1889-

Pennsylvania

Philadelphia
Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church, 1794-
African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas, 1792-
First African Presbyterian Church, 1807-

Rhode Island

Providence
Congdon Street Baptist Church, 1819-

South Carolina

Charleston
Emanuel A.M.E., 1816-

Silver Bluff
Silver Bluff Baptist Church, 1773-

Tennessee

Memphis
Church of God in Christ, 1907

Nashville
First Baptist Church, Capitol Hill, 1835-
Spruce Street Baptist Church, 1835-
Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church, 1835-
Clark Memorial United Methodist, 1865-

Texas

Corpus Christi
Holy Cross Catholic Church, 1914-

El Paso
Second Baptist Church, El Paso-1884

Houston
Antioch Missionary Baptist Church,
1868-

San Antonio
St. Peter Claver Catholic Church, 1888-

Utah

Salt Lake City
Trinity A.M.E. Church, 1890-

Virginia

Falls Church, Virginia
Galloway United Methodist Church, 1867-

Petersburg
First African Baptist Church, 1756-

Richmond
First Baptist Church, 1780-

Washington

Seattle
First A.M.E. Church, 1886-
Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 1890-

Spokane
Cavalry Baptist Church, 1890-

West Virginia

Malden
African Zion Baptist Church, 1852-

Wisconsin

Milwaukee
St. Mark African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, 1869-