African Meeting House facts for kids
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African Meeting House
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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| Location | 8 Smith Court, Boston, MA |
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| Built | 1806 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Part of | Beacon Hill Historic District (ID66000130) |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000087 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 7, 1971 |
| Designated NHL | May 30, 1974 |
| Designated CP | October 15, 1966 |
The African Meeting House is a very important historical building in Boston, Massachusetts. It was built in 1806. This makes it the oldest church building in the United States that was built by and for Black Americans.
It is located in the Beacon Hill area. Right next to it is the Abiel Smith School. This school was also built for Black American children. Today, both buildings are part of the Museum of African American History. The African Meeting House is a National Historic Landmark. This means it is a place of great historical importance.
Contents
History of the African Meeting House
A Church for the Community
Before 1805, Black Bostonians often faced unfair treatment in white churches. They usually had to sit in special sections, like balconies. They also did not have a say in church decisions.
A Black American preacher named Thomas Paul decided to create a new church. He started holding worship meetings for Black people at Faneuil Hall. On August 8, 1805, Paul and twenty members officially formed the First African Baptist Church.
They bought land for a building that same year. The African Meeting House was finished in 1806. At its opening, the main floor seats were for white people who supported the church. Black members sat in the balcony of their new meeting house.
A School for Children
In the early 1800s, Primus Hall started a school in his home for Black children. He tried to get the city of Boston to fund a public school for them, but he was not successful.
By 1806, he moved his school to the basement of the African Meeting House. Hall worked hard to raise money for the school until 1835. This school helped Black Americans get an education. It also created job chances and helped the community grow.
In 1834, the Abiel Smith School was built. This happened because Abiel Smith donated $2,000. This new school was the first building in the country built specifically as a public school for Black Americans. In 1835, all Black children in Boston began attending the Smith school. It replaced the basement school in the African Meeting House.
A Center for Change
The African Meeting House became a very important place for social change. People called it the Black Faneuil Hall. This was because it was a place where important meetings happened.
On January 6, 1832, William Lloyd Garrison started the New England Anti-Slavery Society here. This group worked to end slavery. During the Civil War, famous leaders like Frederick Douglass used the building. They recruited soldiers for the 54th and 55th Massachusetts Regiments. These were important Black American army units.
From Church to Synagogue to Museum
Towards the end of the 1800s, many Black families moved to other parts of Boston. The building was then sold to a Jewish group called Anshei Lubavitch. They were new immigrants living in the area. The building served as a synagogue (a Jewish house of worship) until 1972.
In 1972, the Museum of African American History bought the building. They turned it into a museum. It was officially named a National Historic Landmark in 1974.
Today, the African Meeting House is home to the Museum of African American History. This museum works to save and share the stories of African Americans in New England. It focuses on history from the colonial period through the 1800s. The museum is open to visitors. It is part of the Boston African American National Historic Site.
Next to the African Meeting House is the Education and Technology Center. This space was added to help the museum grow.
Building the Meeting House
People from both white and Black communities helped raise money for the African Meeting House. Cato Gardner, who was from Africa, raised over $1,500. The total cost was $7,700. A special message above the front door honors him. It says: "Cato Gardner, first Promoter of this Building 1806." Scipio and Sylvia Dalton also helped organize and raise money.
The church leaders asked the Massachusetts government for money to finish building. Records show that both Black American and white workers helped build it. For example, the white carpenter Amos Penniman worked on the building. Black masons like Abel Barbadoes also helped. This shows that many people worked together to create this important place.
The front of the African Meeting House looks like a design by Boston architect Asher Benjamin. Besides being a church and school, the building was used for celebrations. It was also a key place for political and anti-slavery meetings. The church was updated in the 1850s by its members.
See also
