Spottswood A.M.E. Zion Church

A.M.E. Zion Church History
The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church was organized formally by James Varick andothers in 1796 in New York City. Its roots go back to 1765 when Methodist influences were first felt in New York. The John Street Church had several black members from the beginning. Between 1765 and 1796, as numbers increased, prejudice also increased, to the point that the sacrament was served to black members only after the white families were served.

That practice, and the denial of other church privileges, led to organization of the first African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1796. In 1800, they built a church and called it "Zion." James Varick was elected and consecrated the first Bishop in 1822. The word "Zion" was added to the title in 1848.

The History behind the naming of Spottswood A.M.E. Zion Church

Stephen Gill Spottswood (D.D.): Born in Boston, MA July 18, 1897; Ordained Deacon, February 5, 1920; Ordained Elder, June 20, 1920; Consecrated Bishop, May 18, 1952; Died, 1974

Bishop Spottswood earned a B.A. Degree from Albright College in reading PA in 1917 and Th.B. from Gordon Divinity School in Boston, MA in 1919. He also did graduate studies at Yale University in 1923 and 1924. He entered the traveling ministry through the New England Conference in 1919 and was appointed to West Newton and Lowell MA. He was ordained a deacon by Bishop W.L. Lee and ordained an elder by Bishop George W. Clinton. He then went on to pastor at Green Memorial Church in Portland, ME, which remained the only black church since it's founding in that city. His other pastorates include Varick Memorial, New Haven, CT; Goler Memorial, Winston-Salem NC; Jones Tabernacle, Indianapolis, IN; St. Luke, Buffalo, NY; and John Wesley Church, Washington D.C., from which he was elected Bishop. His first quadrennial as Bishop he presided in the Deep South and Southwest Conferences. During this time he was serving as a member of various local branches, on executive committees, and as President of the Washington D.C. branch of the NAACP, and labored tirelessly in the interest of both church and Civil rights. He became a member of the National Board of directors of the NAACP in 1951, and was elected as the Chairman of the Board in 1961.

Bishop Spottswood was a noted champion of equality and first-class citizenship throughout his ministerial career. He was extremely effective in administrative affairs, entertaining one General Conference as Pastor and two as Bishop, and serving with tractability as publicity chairman of the A.M.E. Zion Sesquicentennial Celebration. He was a dutiful chairman, an affectionate family man, and both hospitable and generous. His son, The Rev. Stephen Paul Spottswood became a pastor in the A.M.E. Zion Church. Bishop Spottswood gave twenty years of fervent service in the active episcopacy and was retired at the 1972 General conference.

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