Photo curtsey of the Schomberg Center for Research. Bio excerpted from "A Journey Into 365 Days of Black History"

Richard Allan and his three siblings were born into slavery in Pennsylvania. When the family was sold to a plantation owner in Delaware, Allen began his fellowship work. After teaching himself to read and write, he joined the Methodist Society of preachers, and soon began to lead their meetings. His activity impressed his owner , who allowed Richard and his brothers to purchase their freedom. In pursuit of this goal, Richard held a variety

of odd jobs, continued his ministry, and converted his owner to the Methodist faith.

After purchasing his freedom, Allen moved back to Philadelphia, where he established himself as a minister. He preached throughout Philadelphia, New Jersey and Delaware, and it is thought that he attended the first organizing conference of American Methodism. It was during this time that Allen met his future associate, Absalom Jones. the two men were of like mind, wishing to establish a place of worship for newly freed blacks.

In 1787, while kneeling in prayer at St. George's Methodist Episcopal Church, Allen, Jones and other black worshipers were pulled from the church by St. George's church officials. As a result of this action, Allen and Jones organized, on April 12, 1787, the independent Free African Society. An organization dedicated to serving all humanity which denounced slavery, and spearheaded the establishment of an "African Church". On July 17, 1794. Allen, a Methodist, and Jones, an Episcopalian, opened Bethel Church. Later, on April 9, 1816, Richard Allen unified the two factions by forming the first African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Special Thanks to the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.