African Methodist Episcopal Church

American religion

Also known as: AME Church

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Last updated

Nov. 14, 2026 •History

African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME Church), Black Methodist denomination originating in the United States, formally organized in 1816. The African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church was the first African American denomination organized in the United States and, unlike most other American denominations, was formed because of racial issues rather than theological differences. The AME Church developed from a congregation formed by a group of Black people who withdrew in 1787 from St. George’s Methodist Episcopal Church...