As Director of Lay Activities, I would like to organize a visit for Lay Members at Ebenezer AME, Ft. Washington, Maryland. Does anyone know how I can find the A.M.E. Museum? Please include an address, telephone and the name of the Connectional Historiographer,if available. Thank you. May God bless you.

Sis. Thomas, Ebenezer A.M.E., Ft. Washington Ebenezer AME Lay Organization

-- Anonymous, January 22, 2002

Answers

Sis. Thomas:

Please pass my best wishes to Celestine Cheeks!! I visited Ebenezer last April during Lay Night for the Washington Annual COnference. I'm a bit confused with your question. Mother Bethel has the Richard Allen Museum in the basement of the church. I have visited this museum on at least 3-4 occassions. This is the only "AME Museum" to my limited knowledge. I don't know what purpose is achieved by including Dennis Dickerson's (Connectional Historian) address and telephone number since his office is located in Nashville, TN but Mother Bethel is in Philadelphia, PA. Hopefully, either Robert Matthews, J. Payne or Rev. Paris can shed some additional insight in your question. QED

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2002

There are several sites on the web that refer to Mother Bethel. http://www.ushistory.org/tour/tour_bethel.htm is the official site of the Philadelphia historical society, and hs much information, including a description of the Richard Allen Museum. http://www.whyy.org/tv12/HolyPhilly/MotherBethel.html is part of the "Holy Philadelphia" web, a listing of sacred places in the City of Brotherly Love. I think there's a picture of the entrance to the museum there. http://www.users.voicenet.com/~jfisher/history.htm is our own AME Today description of AME History, and refers to Mother Bethel. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part3/3h474.html is a good write-up, possibly a transcript from a few years back, of the Public Broadcasting System's take on African American history (PBS).

For planning a trip, you may want to start with Pastor Jeffrey Leath.

-- Anonymous, January 23, 2002

You can even take the walking tour, which includes St. Georges Church (Where Allen and Absolom Jones walked out of) as well as Mother Bethel and some othe historical Philadelphia sites.

-- Anonymous, January 27, 2002

I am the pastor of Bethel AMEC, Reading, Pa. We have the CEntral Pennsylvania African American Musuem at Old Bethel AMEC, Reading at 10th & Washington Sts. Reading Pa. 19601. Our Church was part of the Underground Railroad, and w have in our building the pit where slaves hid. Our Building is filled with many historical artifacts. WE have several weekend tours. The Lay Connectional Historiographer is a member of our church, and he heads the Musuem. He is FRank Gilyard. Call him at (610)929-9907

-- Anonymous, January 29, 2002