Frederick Asbury Cullen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Frederick Asbury Cullen
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c.1920
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| Born | 1868 |
| Died | 25 May 1946 (aged 77–78) |
| Occupation | Methodist Episcopal Minister |
Frederick Asbury Cullen (born around 1868, died May 25, 1946) was an important Methodist minister. He was also a strong community leader and civil rights activist. He lived and worked in Harlem, New York City. Reverend Cullen supported protests for equal rights. He was especially good at working with young people in his community.
Frederick's parents were Isaac and Emmeline Williams Cullen. Both of them had been enslaved people.
Contents
Reverend Cullen's Early Life and Ministry
Frederick Cullen felt a strong call to religion in September 1894. This happened at the Sharp Street Methodist Episcopal Church in Baltimore. He became a Methodist minister in 1900 in Delaware County, Maryland.
The Methodist Episcopal Church was an important church group. It later became part of the United Methodist Church.
Leading Churches in Maryland and New York
From 1900 to 1902, Reverend Cullen successfully led two churches in Catlin, Maryland. Later, he was assigned to St. Mark's Church in New York's East Village. This church had many Black members.
St. Mark's also had a small mission in Harlem called Salem Chapel. Reverend Cullen reached out to children there. He believed that by helping children, he could also involve their parents in the church.
His efforts were very successful. In 1908, the mission became its own independent church. It was named the Salem Methodist Episcopal Church. Reverend Cullen led this church for 40 years.
Fighting for Civil Rights
Reverend Cullen was a dedicated civil rights activist. He served as the President of the Harlem branch of the NAACP. The NAACP is a well-known organization that works for equal rights for Black Americans.
He also played a key role as Vice President for the historic 1917 Negro Silent Protest Parade. This was a large, silent march in New York City. Thousands of Black Americans marched to protest unfair treatment and violence.
Family Life and Countee Cullen
Before 1919, Reverend Cullen married Carolyn Belle Mitchell. She was a talented singer and pianist from Baltimore. She worked alongside him in the church.
They had an unofficially adopted child named Countee LeRoy Porter. Countee took Reverend Cullen's last name. Countee Cullen grew up to become a famous poet. He was an important figure in the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance was a time when Black artists, writers, and musicians created amazing works in Harlem.
