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-