Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church

History

The congregation was founded in 1838, as Union Bethel (Metropolitan) A. M. E. Church. In 1880, John W. Stevenson was appointed by Bishop Daniel Payne to be pastor of the church for the purpose of building a new church, which would become Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church. The cornerstone was laid in September, 1881. However, Stevenson's methods were upsetting to some of his congregation, and Stevenson was removed before the building was finished after asking for a salary that was deemed too high. The new building was dedicated on May 30, 1886 and was constructed by architect George Dearing. According to the church, it is the oldest continuously black-owned property in the original 10-mile-square parcel of the District. The funerals of abolitionist Frederick Douglass (1895) and civil-rights activist Rosa Parks (2005) were held in the church. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

21st century

In May 2010, the National Trust for Historic Preservation added the building to its list of 11 of America's Most Endangered Places due to water damage and other structural problems requiring $11 million in renovations.

President Barack Obama attended services here on Sunday, January 20, 2013, before his second inauguration.

A Black Lives Matter banner was stolen from the church and burned during a pro-Trump march on December 12, 2020. Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio was later arrested by Washington, D.C. police and charged with one count of destruction of property, a misdemeanor offense. On January 4, 2021, the church filed a lawsuit against both Proud Boys International, LLC, and Tarrio; neither responded and the church sought default judgment against both. In June, 2023, District of Columbia Superior Court Judge Neal E. Kravitz imposed civil penalties of over $1 million on the Proud Boys and four of its members, Tarrio, Joe Biggs, Jeremy Bertino and John Turano. Kravitz said that the four men had engaged in "hateful and overtly racist conduct". On February 3, 2025, Judge Tanya Jones Bosier issued a $2.8 million default judgement against the Proud Boys that included giving the church rights to the name "Proud Boys" and control of trademarks owned by the group.

In January 2026, the church announced plans to try and construct micro-apartments for homeless veterans behind the sanctuary. In statements to The Washington Post, church leaders said that the plan was in the concept stage, and was likely three to five years from completion.

Gallery

File:Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church is known as "The National Cathedral of African Methodism," Washington, D.C LCCN2010641816.tif|Carol M. Highsmith's 2010 photograph of the church. File:Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church is known as "The National Cathedral of African Methodism," Washington, D.C LCCN2010641818.tif|A band in the church, 2010; also photographed by Highsmith. File:Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church, BLM, 2025.jpg|Exterior of the church in 2025, with Black Lives Matter banner visible File:Metropolitan A.M.E. Church (Washington, D.C.).jpg|The facade in 2020. File:Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church, Interior, 2025.jpg|2025 interior during President's Day Press Conference.

References

References

1. {{NRISref. 2009a
2. [[John Wesley Cromwell. Cromwell, John W.]] "The First Negro Churches in the District of Columbia." The Journal of Negro History 7, no. 1 (1922): p73-75
3. Pastor Stevenson's Scalp, The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, New York) June 1, 1888, page 1, accessed December 9, 2016 at https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7789148/pastor_stevensons_scalp_the_brooklyn/
4. Simmons, William J., and Henry McNeal Turner. Men of Mark: Eminent, Progressive and Rising. GM Rewell & Company, 1887. p820-828
5. "Metropolitan AME Church".
6. Ruane, Michael E.. (May 19, 2010). "Historic D.C. church lands on most-endangered list". The Washington Post.
7. Harris, Hamil R.. (January 20, 2013). "Obamas attend church prior to White House swearing-in". [[Washington Post Company.
8. Hermann, Peter. (December 18, 2020). "Proud Boys leader says he burned Black Lives Matter banner stolen from church during demonstrations in D.C.". [[The Washington Post]].
9. Hermann, Peter. (January 4, 2021). "Proud Boys leader arrested in the burning of Black Lives Matter banner, D.C. police say". [[The Washington Post]].
10. (January 4, 2021). "Proud Boys' leader Enrique Tarrio arrested in DC, police say". Fox 5 DC.
11. The case is numbered 2021 CA 000004 B and is on the D.C. Superior Court's Civil II calendar which may be searched at https://eaccess.dccourts.gov/eaccess/.
12. (January 4, 2020). "DC church suing Proud Boys over Black Lives Matter sign vandalism". Fox 5 DC.
13. (January 4, 2020). "Protesters Ripped, Set Fire to BLM Signs at DC Churches, Organizers Respond". NBC 5 Washington.
14. Campbell, Josh. (July 1, 2023). "Proud Boys members ordered to pay over $1 million in ‘hateful and overtly racist’ church destruction civil suit". [[CNN]].
15. Feuer, Alan. (2025-02-03). "Proud Boys Lose Control of Their Name to a Black Church They Vandalized".
16. Williams, Clarence. (12 January 2026). "A historic church pushes plans to help unhoused veterans". The Washington Post.