William Paul Quinn (1788-1873)

Bishop William Paul Quinn was the fourth Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church. He was instrumental in establishing several AME churches in U.S. midwestern states during the pre-Civil War period.  His work for the Black Methodist community was highly regarded.  That work included … Read MoreWilliam Paul Quinn (1788-1873)

Trinity African Methodist Episcopal Church (1890- )

(Photo Courtesy of Tricia Simpson) The Trinity African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church is the oldest continuously operating black church in Utah.  Trinity AME was organized in 1890 by Rev. T. Saunders when Salt Lake City was the capital of Utah Territory.  The early date of … Read MoreTrinity African Methodist Episcopal Church (1890- )

National Afro American League (1887–1893)

The first Afro-American League (AAL) was established in 1887 before changing its name, two years later, to the National Afro-American League (NAAL). The focus of the league was to obtain full citizenship and equality for African-Americans. Timothy Thomas Fortune, editor of the New York Age … Read MoreNational Afro American League (1887–1893)

Afro-American Council (1898-1907)

The Afro-American Council (AAC) was established in Rochester, New York, in September 1898 by newspaper editor T. Thomas Fortune and Bishop Alexander Walters of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church.  They envisioned the organization as a revival of the earlier National Afro-American League (NAAL), which … Read MoreAfro-American Council (1898-1907)

Kansas State Colored Convention (1863)

The first Kansas State Colored Convention was a call from black Kansans to be granted a future of “Liberty, Justice and Equality” under the United States government.  The first Kansas Colored Convention was held in Leavenworth, Kansas on October 13-16, 1863 in the African Methodist … Read MoreKansas State Colored Convention (1863)

The Conventions of Colored Citizens of the State of California (1855-1865)

The four California Colored Conventions held between 1855 and 1865 were a response to blacks being treated as second-class citizens and constantly threatened and violently assaulted by white men without legal and political recourse in Gold Rush era California. The first convention in 1855 marked … Read MoreThe Conventions of Colored Citizens of the State of California (1855-1865)

Frances Ellen Harper Branch of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union (1891-1895)

The Frances Ellen Harper branch of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) was founded in Seattle, Washington by Mrs. Emma Ray in 1891.  It was a local branch of the WCTU, an organization dedicated to total abstinence from alcohol based on the belief that alcohol … Read MoreFrances Ellen Harper Branch of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union (1891-1895)