Mount Zion Church (UMC) Georgetown
The Mount Zion Church was founded in 1816 and has been a integral part of not only the African American community in Georgetown but also the surrounding neighborhood. Over the years the church has been a space for education, social needs, and religion. Having a 200 plus year relationship with a city comes with a long story and as mentioned above the church began in 1816 but the story starts before that.
The original congregation of the church were members of the Montgomery Street Church founded in 1772 and now known as the Dumbarton Avenue United Methodist Church. The church from 1800-1816 had a congregation of 50% African Americans, some free and some enslaved. But as time went on the African American members grew tired of the continued segregation they suffered at the hands of their white counterparts and decided that they needed to separate from the church and form their own. This is when in 1816, a group of 123 people purchased a plot of land on Mill Street (27th Street) and built a church know as "The Meeting House" and "The Little Ark". To many of the members dismay the church had a white minister for many years, and one was not instated until 1864 when Reverend John H Brice became the churches first African American Pastor.
the years went on the churches standing and influence in the African American Georgetown community continued to grow. The church acted not only as a place where African Americans could come and practice religion in the way they pleased but it also provided a space for education during a time where most African Americans were denied one. In 1823 the church opened their Sabbath School, a program dedicated to the education of adults and children. But even with many positives there are always negatives and the church began to run into leadership issues. Before the appointment of Rev. John Brice, the lack of African American leadership was a serious point of contention and eventually in 1849 several members of the church left and three new African American run churches were formed in the area.
The church then sought for a place to bury members of their congregation and this when they came upon the lot formerly know as the Dumbarton Avenue Methodist Church Cemetery. They leased the west end off the property for 99 years "for a sum of one dollar in hand", the east end of the property had already been purchased by the Female Union Band Society, a location for them to bury free African Americans.
Over the years the church dealt with a variety of struggles fire, law suits, distentions, and especially racism. The churches original structure burnt down on July 13, 1880, fortunately the church had recently purchased a plot of land in 1875 from black businessman Alfred Pope, the lot is the same lot the church stands on today. In the churches first 100 years it stood as a symbol of prosperity and hope in the African American community, by 1896 the church had around 700 members. The church has survived the ever changing tides of the 20th century, taking in strides the political and social issues that surrounded them. Just to list a few things that the church has made it threw: slavery, African American northern migration, both world wars, the great depression, and the vast gentrification in the surrounding area. But the church as mentioned before has never swayed they have always remained a symbol of kindness and somewhere people knew they could find help.
In June of 1974, the church was designated a Historic Landmark of the District of Columbia and in 1975 was placed on the National Register of Historical Places. Today the church still stands and you can still find a few members with connections back to the churches inception. The church still holds out the tradition of service in Georgetown and are proud and thankful for their fore bearers for everything they did to create a beautiful church and community.
The original congregation of the church were members of the Montgomery Street Church founded in 1772 and now known as the Dumbarton Avenue United Methodist Church. The church from 1800-1816 had a congregation of 50% African Americans, some free and some enslaved. But as time went on the African American members grew tired of the continued segregation they suffered at the hands of their white counterparts and decided that they needed to separate from the church and form their own. This is when in 1816, a group of 123 people purchased a plot of land on Mill Street (27th Street) and built a church know as "The Meeting House" and "The Little Ark". To many of the members dismay the church had a white minister for many years, and one was not instated until 1864 when Reverend John H Brice became the churches first African American Pastor.
Photo: A Sunday School class photo at Mount Zion Church, 1946 (Credit: Washingtonian, 2016)
the years went on the churches standing and influence in the African American Georgetown community continued to grow. The church acted not only as a place where African Americans could come and practice religion in the way they pleased but it also provided a space for education during a time where most African Americans were denied one. In 1823 the church opened their Sabbath School, a program dedicated to the education of adults and children. But even with many positives there are always negatives and the church began to run into leadership issues. Before the appointment of Rev. John Brice, the lack of African American leadership was a serious point of contention and eventually in 1849 several members of the church left and three new African American run churches were formed in the area.
The church then sought for a place to bury members of their congregation and this when they came upon the lot formerly know as the Dumbarton Avenue Methodist Church Cemetery. They leased the west end off the property for 99 years "for a sum of one dollar in hand", the east end of the property had already been purchased by the Female Union Band Society, a location for them to bury free African Americans.
Photo: Mount Zion UMC today. (Credit: Gospel Roots of Rock and Soul, 2018)
Over the years the church dealt with a variety of struggles fire, law suits, distentions, and especially racism. The churches original structure burnt down on July 13, 1880, fortunately the church had recently purchased a plot of land in 1875 from black businessman Alfred Pope, the lot is the same lot the church stands on today. In the churches first 100 years it stood as a symbol of prosperity and hope in the African American community, by 1896 the church had around 700 members. The church has survived the ever changing tides of the 20th century, taking in strides the political and social issues that surrounded them. Just to list a few things that the church has made it threw: slavery, African American northern migration, both world wars, the great depression, and the vast gentrification in the surrounding area. But the church as mentioned before has never swayed they have always remained a symbol of kindness and somewhere people knew they could find help.
In June of 1974, the church was designated a Historic Landmark of the District of Columbia and in 1975 was placed on the National Register of Historical Places. Today the church still stands and you can still find a few members with connections back to the churches inception. The church still holds out the tradition of service in Georgetown and are proud and thankful for their fore bearers for everything they did to create a beautiful church and community.
Comments
Post a Comment