From slave to reverend. That’s the extraordinary story of John Gloucester who founded First African Presbyterian Church.
Welcome. We are standing before the First African Presbyterian Church. It stands as a testament to faith, resilience, and the enduring spirit of Philadelphia’s African American community.
Founded in 1807, First African Presbyterian Church holds the distinction of being the first Black Presbyterian congregation in the United States. John Gloucester a former slave from Tennessee established it. Imagine. There were no churches catering to African Americans in the entire United States at that time.
Gloucester arrived in Philadelphia in 1807. He sought to preach to the growing Black population. Initially, he preached in homes and rented spaces. Sometimes the crowd was so large that he preached on the corner of Seventh and Shippen Streets. That corner is now Bainbridge Street.
The congregation quickly grew. By 1811, they built their first church building on that very corner. First Colored Presbyterian was chartered by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania in 1809.
John Gloucester served as the church’s pastor until his death in 1822. He believed in education. Gloucester established a Sabbath School so members could read the Bible. Many graduates became Presbyterian ministers. His own sons John Jr Stephen Jeremiah and James all followed in his footsteps.
Over the years, First African Presbyterian Church has moved. It followed the patterns of African American settlement in Philadelphia. The church moved to a hall on Lombard Street near Broad Street in 1879. Later the congregation built a new church at 17th and Fitzwater Streets. This location was occupied until 1946. The congregation acquired the former Tabor Presbyterian Church building at 18th and Christian Street in 1943. In 1957, First African Presbyterian Church settled at its current location on Girard Avenue. In 1966, the church officially changed its name to First African Presbyterian Church.
Several prominent ministers have led First African Presbyterian Church. Reverend John W. Lee conducted a tent ministry. He also started the first vacation Bible school for Black children. Sudor Q. Mitchell became the first African American to serve on the Board of Foreign Missions. Shelton B. Waters left First African in 1969 to take a position at the synod level. Kermit E. Overton became a leader in Black Presbyterians United.
The church’s records document its history. They also track the development of Presbyterianism and the African American community. These records are a valuable resource. Genealogists, local historians, and scholars can learn from them.
Photographs by John W. Mosley capture the essence of the church and its community. Mosley served as the official photographer of First African Presbyterian Church.
First African Presbyterian Church stands as a symbol. It symbolizes faith, community, and the pursuit of equality. Its history is deeply intertwined with Philadelphia’s African American story. As we stand here today, let us remember the legacy of John Gloucester. Let us honor the generations who have found solace and strength within these walls of First African Presbyterian Church.