The First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Los Angeles (First AME Church Los Angeles or FAME) stands as a beacon of faith and community engagement in the heart of Los Angeles, California. This megachurch is part of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church.
It is the oldest church founded by African Americans in Los Angeles, dating to 1872. The parent AME Church is a Methodist denomination founded by the Rev. Richard Allen in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1816.
The AME Church now has over 2,000,000 members in North and South America, Africa and Europe, and includes other major churches such as the Greater Allen A. M. E.
Founding and Early History
The church was established in 1872 under the sponsorship of Biddy Mason, an African American nurse and a California real estate entrepreneur and philanthropist, and her son-in-law Charles Owens.
The location prior to that was on Azusa Street, a building that was rented to the Azusa Street mission. The former location of this church was at 8th & Towne (1902 - 1968) and in 1971, while at that location, it was nominated as Los Angeles' "#71 Landmark." The 8th & Towne building was burned down July 4, 1972, and was razed.
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The Modern Church
The current church, located in the West Adams district, was completed in 1968. It was designed by African American architect Paul R. Williams.
Leadership and Challenges
In 1977 Cecil Murray was assigned to the church as pastor. At that time it had 300 members.
In 2004 the Reverend Dr. John Joseph Hunter succeeded Cecil Murray as senior minister. In 2008 Hunter entered into a repayment plan to pay for tax obligations, family vacations, clothes and jewelry purchased with church funds. Several church leaders asked the church bishop to remove the pastor and his wife from authority.
In November 2009 Hunter settled a sexual harassment complaint he denied for an undisclosed sum. In October 2012, in the face of continuing controversies about his ministry and the church's declining finances, Hunter was transferred to a San Francisco church, which refused to accept him.
His replacement was J. Edgar Boyd. In December 2012, the church filed a lawsuit against Hunter, his wife, and others, charging that the Hunters have improperly maintained their control of the church and its assets. Mr.
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Political and Social Action
The church is a center of political and social action in the city. In the 80's and 90's, the church created 40 task forces concerned with health, substance abuse, homelessness, emergency food and clothing, housing, training, employment and so on.
President George H. W. Bush visited the church to thank them for their activism after the 1992 Los Angeles riots.
Here's a summary of the key figures in the church's history:
| Name | Role | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Biddy Mason | Sponsor | 1872 |
| Charles Owens | Co-founder | 1872 |
| Cecil Murray | Pastor | 1977-2004 |
| John Joseph Hunter | Senior Minister | 2004-2012 |
| J. Edgar Boyd | Replacement for Hunter | 2012-Present |
The Black church's role in Civil Rights and social justice continues to grow
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