Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)

Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church of Philadelphia, dedicated in 1793, was an outgrowth of the movement among African Americans to organize into separate congregations. In 1787 a group of African Americans in Philadelphia withdrew from the white dominated Methodist Church and under the leadership of Richard Allen built Bethel Church. In 1816, Bethel joined with 16 other congregations to form the African Methodist Episcopal Church with Allen as the first bishop.

Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church of Philadelphia, dedicated in 1793, was an outgrowth of the movement among blacks to organize into seperate congregations. In 1787 a company of blacks in Philadelphia withdrew from the white dominated Methodist Church and under the leadership of Richard Allen built Bethel Church. In 1816 Bethel joined with 16 other congregations to form the African Methodist Episcopal Chuch with Allen as the first bishop.

The Class system, which was the early system of the Methodist Church dividing the congregation into Classes, each with a layman as Class leader, remained an important part of Bethel's organization late into the 19th century.