First African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, San Francisco

First African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
Starr King Methodist Church
Stockton Street AME Zion Church
37°46′40″N 122°26′46″W / 37.777686°N 122.446065°W / 37.777686; -122.446065
Location2159 Golden Gate Ave.,
San Francisco, California, U.S.
DenominationAfrican Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
History
FoundedAugust 1852
Founder(s)John Jamison Moore
John Jamison Moore, founder
John Jamison Moore, founder

The First African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church was founded in 1852 in San Francisco, California, U.S.[1] It is one of the earliest African American churches in the west. It was formerly known as the Starr King Methodist Church (1855–1864), Stockton Street AME Zion Church (1864–1870);[2] and is also known as First AMEZ Church and First AME Zion Church.

History

This church is one of three Black churches founded in 1852 in San Francisco, the other two are the Third Baptist Church, and the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church.[3][4][5]

The parent body church was founded in New York City in 1796, and officially formed in 1821.[6][7] The First AME Zion Church of San Francisco was founded by Rev. John Jamison Moore.[6] From 1852 until 1855, this congregation met in a make shift structure.[2]

In 1864, the First AME Zion Church congregation purchased their first church building from the First Unitarian Church at what was 805 Stockton Street at Pacific Street, in the Chinatown neighborhood.[2][8] The First Unitarian Church was led by abolitionist and clergyman Thomas Starr King.[2] From 1855 until 1864, the congregation used the name Starr King Methodist Church, in reverence for Rev. Thomas Starr King.[2] The congregation moved to Stockton Street, between Broadway Street and Vallejo Street in the North Beach neighborhood, and then used the name Stockton Street AME Zion Church.[2] The church building was destroyed in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire, which also destroyed most of their records.[1] After the 1906 earthquake, the church moved to 1669 Geary Street, between Webster Street and Buckingham Way, in what is now the Fillmore District.[2]

In 1960, the church moved to 2159 Golden Gate Avenue in the NoPa neighborhood of San Francisco, under the leadership of Rev. L. Roy Bennett.[9]

Pastors

  • Rev. John Jamison Moore (1852–1858)[10]
  • Rev. Adam B. Smith (1858–1862)[10]
  • Rev. J. C. Lodge[11]
  • Rev. William H. Hillary (1878–)[12]
  • Rev. Alexander Walters (1883–1886)[2][13]
  • Rev. Charles Calvin Pettey (1887–1887)[14][15][16][17][18]
  • Rev. J. H. Hector (1887–1888)[19][20]
  • Rev. W. J. Byers (1909–)[2][21][22]
  • Rev. George Haines (1911–1912)
  • Rev. W. W. Matthews (1912–)
  • Rev. E. Jones
  • Rev. E. M. Clark (c. 1917–)[23]
  • Rev. E. M. Lightfoot
  • Rev. Byers (1918–1926)
  • Rev. E. J. Magruder (1926–1941)[24]
  • Rev. H. B. Gantt (1941–1946)[2]
  • Rev. Harold Clement (1946–1956)
  • Rev. L. Roy Bennett (1956–1965)[2][9][25]
  • Rev. B. Leon Carson (1965–1973)
  • Rev. Parree Porter Sr. (1973–1980)[26]
  • Rev. Percy King Smith Jr. (1980–1987)
  • Rev. John E. Watts (1987–1995)
  • Rev. Keith I. Harris (1995–1998)
  • Rev. James A. McMillian (1998–2000)
  • Rev. George C. Woodruff (2001–2009)[27][5]
  • Rev. Malcolm Byrd (2009–present)

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "The First A.M.E. Zion Church (San Francisco) is Founded". African American Registry (AAReg). Retrieved July 11, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Adkins, Jan Batiste (2012). African Americans of San Francisco. Arcadia Publishing. pp. 24, 27, 44, 50. ISBN 978-0-7385-7619-0.
  3. ^ Montesano, Philip M. (July 1, 1973). "San Francisco Black Churches in the Early 1860's: Political Pressure Group". California Historical Quarterly. 52 (2): 145–152. doi:10.2307/25157430. ISSN 0097-6059. JSTOR 25157430.
  4. ^ Harmanci, Reyhan (March 4, 2012). "Celebrating Where San Francisco's Black Roots Run Deepest". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 11, 2025.
  5. ^ a b Choung, Jean (March 6, 2003). "150 years of unity". The San Francisco Examiner. p. 6. Retrieved July 11, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ a b "Cal. Senate recognizes 100th birthday of S.F. Zion church". Los Angeles Tribune. August 15, 1952. p. 12. Retrieved July 11, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ The Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. 2012. ISBN 978-1-4969-5704-7.
  8. ^ "Bishop Clinton Discusses The Negro Question". The San Francisco Call and Post. October 28, 1900. p. 40. Retrieved July 11, 2025.
  9. ^ a b "Zion Church Dedication Tuesday". The San Francisco Examiner. April 16, 1960. p. 14. Retrieved July 11, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ a b Willard, Ruth Hendricks; Wilson, Carol Green; Baird, Joseph Armstrong (1985). Sacred Places of San Francisco. Presidio Press. p. 78. ISBN 978-0-89141-192-5.
  11. ^ "The AME Conference". The San Francisco Examiner. June 23, 1887. p. 3. Retrieved July 11, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Bishop W. H. Hillary". The San Francisco Examiner. May 31, 1887. p. 3. Retrieved July 11, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Murphy, Larry G.; Melton, J. Gordon; Ward, Gary L. (November 20, 2013). Encyclopedia of African American Religions. Routledge. p. 818. ISBN 978-1-135-51338-2.
  14. ^ "Obituary for Bishop Pettey". The Daily Journal. December 11, 1900. p. 4. Retrieved July 11, 2025.
  15. ^ "The Church of Zion: Annual Conference of American Methodist Episcopalians". The San Francisco Examiner. June 28, 1887. p. 3. Retrieved July 11, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Bishop Pettey's Return". The San Francisco Examiner. September 23, 1890. p. 3. Retrieved July 11, 2025.
  17. ^ "Immigration Notes: A Large Number of New Colonists – More Negro Settlers". The San Francisco Examiner. February 1, 1887. p. 5. Retrieved July 11, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Bishop Pettey's Trip". The San Francisco Examiner. September 24, 1890. p. 3. Retrieved July 11, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "The Y.M.C.A." The San Francisco Examiner. August 8, 1887. p. 8. Retrieved July 11, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "Eastward Bound: Rev. J. H. Hector's Farewell Sermon". San Francisco Chronicle. August 13, 1888. p. 8. Retrieved July 11, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ "Clergy Divided on Quarrel 'Pray, Fight,' Is Advice". San Francisco Bulletin. September 1, 1923. p. 2. Retrieved July 11, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ "Article clipped from The San Francisco Examiner". The San Francisco Examiner. March 22, 1925. p. 8. Retrieved July 11, 2025.
  23. ^ "Visiting Pastors To Preach at M.E. Zion". San Francisco Bulletin. January 20, 1917. p. 3. Retrieved July 11, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ "AAMLO Study Guide: San Francisco". Oakland Library. Retrieved July 11, 2025.
  25. ^ "Haight Ashbury Union". The San Francisco Examiner. March 26, 1964. p. 17. Retrieved July 11, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ "Porter resigns from Redevelopment Agency". The San Francisco Examiner. July 18, 1980. p. 17. Retrieved July 11, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. ^ "The members of the San Francisco Housing Authority Commission". SFGate. September 25, 2007.
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