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in style, with a "simple facade", similar to several other
Protestant churches built in Manhattan during the late 19th century and early 20th century. The sanctuary has an "auditorium" layout, of a type that was becoming popular with Protestant congregations at the time, rather than a "cross" form
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Today, the Mother Zion church continues to sponsor a variety of social programs aimed at assisting members of the congregation and the surrounding community. Several historic artifacts from the church's 200-year history are on display in the
135:, whose tomb is located underneath the current building's sanctuary. The original congregation numbered about 100 members, who met in a rented hall. The congregation met at several other locations in Manhattan – including at
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were members of the A.M.E. Zion conference at other congregations. Mother Zion's identification with the abolitionist movement led to it being attacked by an anti-black mob during the three-day
104:. The seating is arranged in a wide arc around the altar and pulpit, and features a wide balcony on the second level, also in an arc layout. Seating capacity inside the church is about 1000.
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The Mother A.M.E. Zion congregation was formed in 1796 by
African-American members of the predominantly white John Street Methodist Church. Although that church was
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The A.M.E. Zion conference was referred to nationally as the "Freedom Church" for its vital role in the United States abolitionist movement, and was an
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The colored members were not permitted to come to the sacrament (Holy
Communion) until all the white members, even children, had communed.
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was choir and drama director at the church, and produced concerts and historical pageants as fundraisers and community outreach.
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in 1834. Windows were smashed at Mother Zion, and several black and white churches were set ablaze. The July 12, 1834
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356:. Neighbourhood Preservation Center, Landmarks Preservation Commission, New York City. Archived from
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Moore, John
Jamison. History of the AME Zion Church (York, Penn.: Teacher's Journal Office, 1884.
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191:, spoke from the pulpit. Dr. Robeson's activism for civil rights led him to work with prominent
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Mother Zion also became an important cultural center for the city's
African-American community.
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was a member of the congregation, and spoke out from the pulpit against slavery.
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The building was constructed between 1923 and 1925 and was designed by architect
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was still enforced in other ways. As one A.M.E. Zion historian described it:
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List of New York City
Designated Landmarks in Manhattan above 110th Street
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The Mother
African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church in New York City is a
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527:"Misses Anderson, Schuyler Join Community Salute to Mrs. DesVerney"
401:"Mother African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church Designation Report"
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From
Abyssinian to Zion: A Guide to Manhattan's Houses of Worship
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600:
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in Harlem in 1914, and then settling at the present location.
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Manhattan Avenue–West 120th–123rd
Streets Historic District
455:"Mapping the African American Past: Mother AME Zion Church"
97:
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314:; Postal, Matthew A. (2009). Postal, Matthew A. (ed.).
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The building is the sixth to house the congregation.
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432:(5th ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.
512:"Riots and Continued Disturbances of the Peace".
318:(4th ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons.
180:newspaper denounced the attacks as a "disgrace".
131:The founding bishop who led the congregation was
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351:"Mother African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church"
1065:New York City Designated Landmarks in Manhattan
411:New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission
308:New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission
826:Mother African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
34:Mother African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
884:Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building
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381:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
1090:Religious organizations established in 1796
919:Harbor Conservatory for the Performing Arts
592:
578:
474:
472:
426:; Willensky, Elliot; Leadon, Fran (2010).
399:Moore, Christopher and Dolkart, Andrew S.
385:) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (
1105:African Methodist Episcopal Zion churches
1070:African-American history in New York City
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1110:Underground Railroad in New York (state)
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1100:1796 establishments in New York (state)
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255:African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
1080:Methodist churches in New York (state)
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966:New York College of Podiatric Medicine
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1075:Churches on the Underground Railroad
831:Mount Morris Park Historic District
13:
846:St. Aloysius Roman Catholic Church
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776:Hamilton Grange National Memorial
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203:. From the 1920s into the 1960s,
46:Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard
316:Guide to New York City Landmarks
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66:African Methodist Episcopal Zion
861:Wadleigh High School for Girls
856:St. Nicholas Historic District
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934:The Harlem School of the Arts
894:ATLAH World Missionary Church
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147:– before moving to 151
16:Church in Manhattan, New York
1004:Manhattan Community Boards:
92:of layout, which has a deep
71:The church was designated a
7:
811:Metropolitan Baptist Church
544:Ted Ston, "Heard and Seen"
516:. July 12, 1834. p. 1.
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1085:Churches completed in 1925
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429:AIA Guide to New York City
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96:for the altar, and a long
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914:Frederick Douglass Circle
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836:NYPL 115th Street Library
729:Abyssinian Baptist Church
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548:(June 30, 1959): 10. via
532:(July 11, 1959): 11. via
488:Columbia University Press
187:, brother of Pastor Dr.
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270:African-American church
961:National Black Theatre
949:Harlem Fire Watchtower
929:Harlem Hospital Center
924:Harlem Children's Zone
841:NYPL Schomburg Library
172:anti-abolitionist riot
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73:New York City Landmark
40:", located at 140–148
29:
27:New York City Landmark
909:Duke Ellington Circle
866:Washington Apartments
796:Langston Hughes House
724:369th Regiment Armory
660:List of neighborhoods
514:New York Evening Post
457:. Columbia University
177:New York Evening Post
125:
24:
265:Underground Railroad
247:New York City portal
233:United States portal
156:Underground Railroad
139:and Leonard Street,
119:in its orientation,
85:George W. Foster Jr.
1041:40.8160°N 73.9418°W
1037: /
981:St. Nicholas Houses
851:St. Andrew's Church
781:Harlem River Houses
189:Benjamin C. Robeson
100:intersected by two
1095:Churches in Harlem
991:Sylvia's Soul Food
944:Marcus Garvey Park
816:Minton's Playhouse
801:Macombs Dam Bridge
648:Harlem Renaissance
406:2022-03-14 at the
312:Dolkart, Andrew S.
275:Harlem Renaissance
193:Harlem Renaissance
168:Frederick Douglass
121:racial segregation
75:on July 13, 1993.
30:
1046:40.8160; -73.9418
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889:All Saints Church
766:Dunbar Apartments
439:978-0-19538-386-7
363:on March 14, 2022
325:978-0-470-28963-1
205:Bertha Des Verney
149:West 136th Street
42:West 137th Street
36:, also known as "
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565:Official website
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56:neighborhood of
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413:(July 13, 1993)
408:Wayback Machine
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939:Lenox Lounge
875:Other points
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771:Graham Court
744:Central Park
633:Demographics
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486:. New York:
483:
461:November 20,
459:. Retrieved
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367:November 20,
365:. Retrieved
358:the original
315:
290:
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260:James Varick
209:
185:Paul Robeson
182:
175:
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133:James Varick
130:
126:
117:abolitionist
114:
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70:
68:conference.
50:Lenox Avenue
37:
33:
31:
18:
1044: /
971:Rucker Park
904:Cotton Club
877:of interest
786:Harlem YMCA
759:North Woods
754:Lasker Rink
749:Harlem Meer
681:East Harlem
674:Subsections
621:Main topics
502:, pp.148-49
38:Mother Zion
1059:Categories
1032:73°56′30″W
1029:40°48′58″N
715:Designated
706:Sugar Hill
286:References
89:neo-Gothic
1002:See also:
739:Astor Row
717:landmarks
638:Education
610:Manhattan
213:vestibule
102:transepts
58:Manhattan
550:ProQuest
482:(2004).
404:Archived
377:cite web
219:See also
158:refuge.
143:and 127
79:Building
44:between
643:History
111:History
94:chancel
52:in the
601:Harlem
494:
436:
322:
137:Church
54:Harlem
628:Crime
444:p.543
361:(PDF)
354:(PDF)
330:p.204
291:Notes
492:ISBN
463:2011
434:ISBN
387:link
383:link
369:2011
320:ISBN
199:and
166:and
98:nave
48:and
32:The
1061::
1014:11
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490:.
471:^
379:}}
375:{{
335:^
310:;
299:^
215:.
60:,
1006:9
593:e
586:t
579:v
500:.
465:.
442:.
389:)
371:.
328:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.