Third Street Bethel A. M. E. Church

SA-137

This congregation, formed by 11 free African American Methodists ca. 1850, built its sanctuary here ca. 1856. In May 1867, the church joined the Virginia Annual Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church at its organizational meeting, held here, and became known as Third Street Bethel. Civic groups, mutual aid societies, and other organizations that were devoted to civil rights and community uplift met at the church regularly to educate and organize. On 20 Aug. 1901, Maggie L. Walker spoke here and announced her plan to establish a bank, newspaper, and emporium. Third Street Bethel was listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register and National Register of Historic Places in 1975.

Department of Historic Resources, 2024

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References/Bibliographic Citation:

Third Street Bethel AME Church 2019 Update and Boundary Increase, NRHP (2019). Minutes of the Annual Conferences of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, for the Years 1853-1854. “Highlights of Minutes of Organization of the Virginia A.M.E. Conference,” typescript. “Third Street Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church,” typescript. Souvenir Program, Rededicatory Services, Third St. Bethel A.M.E. Church (1914). Wesley A. Turner, “Historic Third Street Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church.” Richmond Whig, 1 May 1865. Richmond Planet, 24 Aug. 1901. John Thomas O’Brien Jr., “From Bondage to Citizenship: The Richmond Black Community, 1865-1867,” Ph.D. diss., University of Rochester, 1975.