blacksouthernbelle.com

Founded in Philadelphia in 1816 by members of the Free African Society (which itself was founded in 1787,) the AME church was one of the first Protestant denominations created as a haven for Black people. Many people first came to know of Mother Emanuel (AME churches were given the title Mother after women were permitted to serve in church operations) back in 2015 when a gunman opened fire on parishioners, killing nine members. Co-founded by Denmark Vesey, who helped to plan a slave revolt in 1822, Mother Emanuel was actually burned down after the revolt trials by an angry mob and was later rebuilt. Many AME churches were founded by community activists and leaders and were attended by liberators including Fredericksburg Douglass, Ida B. Wells, Booker T. Washington and others.