On View
Slavery and Freedom Gallery
Exhibition
Slavery and Freedom
Created by
Mother Bethel AME Church, American, founded 1794
Subject of
The Right Reverend Allen, Richard, American, 1760 - 1831
Beckett, William Wesley, American, born 1859
Date
1916
Medium
ink on paper
Dimensions
H x W: 16 x 19 7/8 in. (40.6 x 50.5 cm)
Description
A black-and-white poster with a pictorial history of the ministers and bishops of the Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church in Philadelphia, in celebration of the African Methodist Episcopal Church centennial celebration in 1916. At center is an oval portrait of founder Bishop Richard Allen. To the left of Allen is a depiction of a two-story blacksmith shop with the caption [FIRST CHURCH BUILT ON SPOT WHERE BLACKSMITH SHOP STOOD / INCORPORATED / 1796]. Beneath Allen's portrait is an interior scene of the two men laboring in the blacksmith shop with the caption [BLACKSMITH SHOP] and to the right is an illustration of the three-story masonry church building with the caption ["MOTHER" BETHEL PHILADELPHIA / PLACE OF MEETING OF THE / CENTENNIAL GENERAL / CONFERENCE / 1916]. Surrounding the center scenes is a montage of thirty-eight (38) numbered, oval portraits of church bishops and ministers from Allen to William Beckett, minister in 1916.
Place depicted
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, North and Central America
Classification
Memorabilia and Ephemera - Other
Type
portraits
posters
Topic
African Methodist Episcopal
Communities
Free communities of color
Methodist
Photography
Religion
The Black Church
U.S. History, 1783-1815
U.S. History, 1865-1921
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2012.46.70
Restrictions & Rights
Public domain
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5fd999541-c602-431c-a7bf-aa04f654c5f4

Cataloging is an ongoing process and we may update this record as we conduct additional research and review. If you have more information about this object, please contact us at NMAAHCDigiTeam@si.edu

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