The Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME) is the oldest AME church in the southern U.S, with one of the biggest African-American congregations south of Baltimore. The church is known as “Mother Emanuel“; the name Emanuel meaning “God with us.”
The church was established in 1818 after withdrawing from the Free African Society in 1816 over disputed burial ground. One of its founders, Denmark Vesey, was an enslaved African-American who purchased his freedom after a lottery win. In 1821 he began to organize what would have been one of the biggest slave revolts in America, which was thwarted after plans were leaked and authorities became aware of the planned uprising. Vesey was executed, and the church was burned down during the dissention.
The AME was rebuilt, and the congregation resumed their services. Then in 1834, all-black churches were prohibited from operating and the parish worshipped underground until 1865, when the AME was reorganized. The current building was completed in 1891 and underwent restoration from 1949-51.
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