Program

Hometown Heritage®

Subject

Building, Religion

Location

149 W M.L.K. Jr Dr, Washington, NC 27889, USA

Lat/Long

35.545857, -77.053469

Grant Recipient

Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church

The Metropolitan A.M.E. Zion Church in Washington, NC is remembered by the community to have been founded in ca. 1841. Originally called “Farmer’s Temple”, the church served the African American community in the area. During the Civil War the city of Washington faced destruction, and it is thought that the church’s former structure was burned down twice, once in 1862 and again in 1864.

In 1874, the current plot of land the church sits on was purchased in conjunction with the Freemasons Hiram Lodge no. 11. At the time the land was purchased, it was described in the deed as having already begun construction of a building that would house the church, the Freemasons, and a school room. In 1907, the church bought out the Freemasons, and the property became theirs entirely.

In 1940, due to a great need in the African American community, the church’s reverend I.B. Turner started a public library in one of the rooms of the church. It quickly grew, and by the 1960s the library moved to its own building nearby. Reverand Turner was remembered fondly for his work in establishing and growing the library in his obituary.

It is remembered by the congregation that the church served as a central location during the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. The church hosted forums and other gatherings for the people of Washington as they worked to protest against racial inequality and injustice.