State Street AME Zion Church

{{short description|Historic church in Alabama, United States}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}

{{Infobox NRHP

| name = State Street AME Zion Church

| nrhp_type =

| image = State Street A.M.E. Zion Church Mobile.jpg

| caption = State Street AME Zion Church in 2009

| location = 502 State Street
Mobile, Alabama, United States

| coordinates = {{coord|30|41|38|N|88|3|1|W|display=inline,title}}

| locmapin = USA Alabama Mobile#Alabama#USA

| area =

| built = 1854

| architecture = Romanesque

| added = September 06, 1978

| refnum = 78000505{{NRISref|2008a}}

| designated_other1_name = Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage

| designated_other1_abbr = ARLH

| designated_other1_color = #CDE5B2

| designated_other1_link = Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage

| designated_other1_date = October 20, 1977

}}

State Street African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church is a historic African American church in Mobile, Alabama. It is the oldest documented Methodist church building in Alabama. It is also one of two African American churches founded in the Methodist tradition in Mobile prior to the American Civil War.{{cite book |title=African American historic places |last=Savage |first=Beth L. |author2=Carol D. Shull |year=1994 |publisher=Preservation Press |location=Washington, D.C. |isbn=0-89133-253-7 |page=[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780891332534/page/98 98] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780891332534/page/98 }}

History

The church was founded in 1829 as the African Church of the City of Mobile, a mission of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. The original building burned and the current building was erected in 1854. By 1855 the church had a congregation of 550 members, making it one of the most successful African American churches in Alabama. Following the Civil War, the congregation joined the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. The Methodist Episcopal Church South then challenged the right of the congregation to occupy the building. Under the leadership of their second minister, Wilbur G. Strong, the congregation obtained legal title to the building in 1872. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 6, 1978, due to its architectural and historic significance.

References