Historic St. Paul A.M.E. Church

In 1820, free and enslaved Black Methodists formed an independent congregation after separating from the Lexington Society of Methodists. This wording replaces an older oral account that described Historic St. Paul as a mission of Hill Street Methodist Church. The evidence reviewed to date does not support that mission relationship.

The congregation first worshiped in a brick stable on property owned by Charles Wilkins. Wilkins should be identified as the property owner from whom the congregation rented and later purchased its site—not as the congregation's founder or protector. An 1827 notice concerning his estate also advertised the sale of ten enslaved people, a fact that places his relationship with the congregation within the broader history of slavery in early nineteenth-century Kentucky.

In 1826, the congregation constructed a permanent brick sanctuary. In May 1827, it purchased the original 33-by-95-foot lot for $280. The deed named trustees Daniel Francis, John Skinker, Benjamin Tibbs, William Dolan, and Peter Lewis.

The 1838–1839 Lexington city directory described the city's Black churches, including St. Paul, as “handsome brick buildings, in which comfort and elegance alike predominate.” In 1850, the congregation purchased an adjoining 7-by-95-foot lot for $1. Trustees associated with that acquisition included Charles Buckner, James Turner, Robert Dolan, Liberty Ross, and Moses Spencer.

On July 8, 1862, the church acquired an adjacent parcel that included part of Lexington's city stray pen for $400. In 1863, it resold 80 feet of that property for $242. Church oral tradition associates the animals once confined near the site with efforts to disguise the scent of freedom seekers. That interpretation should continue to be identified as oral tradition rather than as the documented purpose of the property purchase.

The exact construction dates of the concealed upper room, the stairway behind the pulpit, and the interior pathways above the sanctuary remain under study. The features themselves survive and are central to the congregation's oral history of sheltering freedom seekers.

Historic St. Paul operated as an independent Methodist congregation until September 1865, when, under the leadership of Rev. David Smith, it formally affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

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The National Park Service has officially designated Historic St. Paul A.M.E. Church as a site in the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. The designation recognizes the church's documented association with Lewis Garrard Clarke and its broader freedom history.

Lewis Hayden and his family escaped enslavement in Lexington in 1844 with assistance from Delia Webster and Calvin Fairbank. Henry Britton, a St. Paul trustee and member, worked as a barber at the Phoenix Hotel while Hayden was hired there. This documented proximity is historically significant; however, a direct claim that Britton arranged Hayden's escape should be presented as an inference unless additional documentary evidence is located.

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Historic St. Paul became an important gathering place for Black education, civil rights advocacy, mutual aid, and community organization in Lexington and across Kentucky.

• In March 1866, the First Convention of Colored Men of Kentucky met in Lexington at the A.M.E. Church and adopted the constitution of the Kentucky State Benevolent Association.
• In November 1867, the State Convention of Colored Men met at St. Paul and petitioned for political rights, equal protection, education, and full citizenship.
• On November 26, 1885, the Colored State Convention assembled in St. Paul's A.M.E. Church. Its educational advocacy helped build momentum for a state-supported normal school for Black teachers. Kentucky authorized the State Normal School for Colored Persons in 1886; the institution is now Kentucky State University.
• Lewis Garrard Clarke returned to St. Paul as a speaker in 1892, further connecting the church to Kentucky's antislavery and civil rights history.
• Church members also supported educational and charitable institutions in Lexington, including efforts associated with the Colored Orphan Industrial Home. Specific individual roles should be stated only where supported by church, organizational, or public records.

These documented events demonstrate that St. Paul was not only a place of worship, but also a meeting place where Black Kentuckians organized for education, political participation, community care, and equal treatment under law.

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Historic St. Paul's pastoral history spans its independent Methodist period and its formal affiliation with the A.M.E. Church beginning in 1865. Trustees, lay leaders, and pastors should be identified according to the office documented for each person; early trustees should not automatically be described as pastors.

The current pastor is Rev. Dr. Walter R. Henry. The church maintains a separate pastoral leadership page so that names, titles, and dates can be updated without revising this history article.

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The congregation was established in 1820, while the surviving historic sanctuary dates to 1826. Keeping both dates visible accurately distinguishes the founding of the congregation from the construction of the building.

• Historic St. Paul is an official National Park Service Network to Freedom site.
• St. Paul's A.M.E. Church and parsonage are identified as contributing historic resources within Lexington's Northside Historic Residential District, which was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on August 28, 1979.
• The sanctuary preserves nationally significant stories of Black faith, freedom, education, civic leadership, and community self-determination.
• The church remains an active house of worship rather than a museum alone; preservation protects both historic fabric and continuing ministry.

Preservation requires more than honoring the past—it requires investing in its future. Every contribution helps Historic St. Paul address critical repairs, protect historic features, maintain a safe and welcoming place of worship, and preserve an important part of Lexington's history.

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Recent preservation work has focused on stabilizing the 1826 sanctuary and protecting it from continued deterioration. Major completed phases include roof work, exterior masonry and façade repairs, bell-tower work, and foundation stabilization.

Preservation partners have included the National Trust for Historic Preservation's African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund through the Preserving Black Churches program, the Linda and Jerry Bruckheimer Preservation Fund for Kentucky, and other state and local preservation partners.

The preservation team has included Barr Construction, Jordan Yeiser Engineering, and Gibson Taylor Thompson Architecture. A comprehensive three-dimensional laser scan and digital model prepared by Ayoroa Simmons support future restoration, interpretation, and accessibility planning.

Current priorities include completion of the historic stairway enclosure and protective covering, replacement of the sanctuary heating and cooling system, and repair and finishing of sanctuary plaster walls and ceilings. These remaining projects are necessary to protect the building, support continued worship, and complete the current rehabilitation phase.

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Historic preservation is not separate from the church's ministry. It sustains a living place of worship, protects the physical evidence of Black history, supports education and heritage tourism, and creates safe space for community service.

• Honor the faith and sacrifice of those who organized the congregation in 1820 and built the sanctuary in 1826.
• Maintain a safe, welcoming setting for worship, education, outreach, and community gatherings.
• Preserve stories of freedom seekers, educators, pastors, trustees, lay leaders, and families for future generations.
• Strengthen Historic St. Paul's continuing role in Lexington's Northside community.

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Monetary support is essential because historic buildings require specialized materials, skilled preservation contractors, ongoing maintenance, building-system upgrades, and rapid response when new problems are discovered.

• Make a one-time or recurring gift to the preservation appeal.
• Share Historic St. Paul's story with family, friends, schools, congregations, and preservation organizations.
• Attend worship, tours, educational programs, and public events.
• Encourage businesses and foundations to support preservation, accessibility, and interpretation.

Together, we can protect the 1826 sanctuary, sustain the congregation's present ministry, and preserve a nationally recognized story of faith and freedom.

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Visit Historic St. Paul's official channels for worship services, historic reflections, preservation updates, and community programs.

• Facebook: Historic St. Paul A.M.E. Church
• YouTube: Historic St. Paul A.M.E. Church

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Prepared from the Historic St. Paul A.M.E. Church Research Archives. Research coordination: Priscilla Sullivan. This public history is updated as deeds, newspapers, directories, church records, architectural evidence, and official historic-designation records are reviewed.

The article follows four standards: documented facts are stated directly; oral traditions are labeled as oral traditions; reasonable interpretations are identified as interpretations; and claims that remain unconfirmed are omitted or qualified.

Selected public references:

• National Park Service: Network to Freedom listings
• Kentucky Senate Resolution 101 (2026)
• Proceedings of the First Convention of Colored Men of Kentucky, 1866
• Proceedings of the State Convention of Colored Men, 1867
• Proceedings of the Colored State Convention at St. Paul's, 1885
• Kentucky State University history
• National Register: Northside Historic Residential District

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