Richard Allen

Richard Allen (1760-1831) was born in Kent County, Delaware on the Whitehall plantation of prominent Philadelphia lawyer Benjamin Chew. After teaching himself to read and write, he joined the Methodists in 1777 at the age of 17, soon becoming an evangelist for both Methodism and anti-slavery ideals. He was emancipated in 1780 after his master was convinced of the evils of slavery by another Methodist preacher, Freeborn Garrettson. Despite this change of heart, Allen still had to buy his way out of slavery by performing extra labor to earn the necessary money.

Allen became qualified as a preacher at the 1784 Christmas Conference, at which Francis Asbury was ordained as bishop (superintendent). Along with Harry Hosier, he was one of the only two Black attendees and was not aloud to vote on any measures. Choosing to lead a congregation as opposed to spreading Methodism, he found himself at St. George’s, leading a weekly 5:00 a.m. service attended primarily by African-Americans. In 1878, along with his friend Absalom Jones, he established the Free African Society (to learn more about the FAS, scan the QR code below Jones’ portrait).

After the Great Walk Out, Allen established Mother Bethel AME Church in 1794. While many members of the FAS followed Jones to his new Episcopal congregation at St. Thomas, many others wished to remain Methodists and followed Allen to Mother Bethel. Allen was ordained as minister by Asbury in 1799, although the congregation still dealt with oversight from the white elders of St. George’s and Allen himself was never ordained bishop. In 1830, Mother Bethel was the home of the first Negro Convention, sparking a movement which was an early form of institution-building in America’s Black community.