1760-1831

“I had it often impressed upon my mind that I should one day enjoy my freedom; for slavery is a bitter pill, notwithstanding we had a good master.”

Dedicated to helping

Born a slave, Allen worked night and day to save enough money to buy his freedom. His life was dedicated to helping, as shown during the Black Plague of 1793, when he helped Dr. Benjamin Rush, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, care for the sick people of Philadelphia.

Having preached since he was 17, Allen was ordained a minister in 1799. He started a church on the site of an abandoned blacksmith shop and began preaching there beginning in 1805. The church was the first brick church built on American soil by people of color.

When the African Methodist Episcopal denomination was organized in 1816, Rev. Allen was selected its first Bishop.

Bishop Allen helped organize the Free African Society, established schools, and co-founded the first Mason Lodge for men of color in Pennsylvania.

He sheltered runaway slaves beginning in 1797 until his death in 1831. After his death, Bethel Church continued the work.