<Tr> <Th> Designated PHMC </Th> <Td> March 19, 1991 </Td> </Tr> <P> The Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church is a historic church and congregation at 419 South 6th Street in Center City Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA . The congregation, founded in 1794, is the oldest African Methodist Episcopal congregation in the nation . Its present church, completed in 1890, is the oldest church property in the United States to be continuously owned by African Americans . It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1972 . </P> <P> The church was organized by African - American members of St. George's Methodist Church who walked out due to racial segregation in the worship services . Mother Bethel was one of the first African - American churches in the United States, dedicated July 29, 1794, by Bishop Francis Asbury . On October 12, 1794, Reverend Robert Blackwell announced that the congregation was received in full fellowship in the Methodist Episcopal Church . In 1816 Rev Richard Allen brought together other black Methodist congregations from the region to organize the new African Methodist Episcopal Church denomination . He was elected bishop of this denomination . After the American Civil War, its missionaries went to the South to help freedmen and planted many new churches in the region . </P> <P> Allen and his wife, Sarah Allen are both buried in the present church's crypt . The current church building was constructed in 1888 - 1890, and it has been designated a National Historic Landmark . </P>

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