Before Indiana had public schools for Black kids, this church filled the gap with candles and bare floors

Eight Freed Slaves Found Allen Chapel AME Church

When the Civil War ended, freed Black folks who moved north found few open doors in Indianapolis. In 1865, eight determined African Americans started Allen Chapel as a small Sunday school with help from local Quakers.

They first met in Mrs. Tabott’s home, sitting on makeshift benches under candlelight.

By Christmas 1866, they had their own church building on Broadway Street.

The chapel soon grew beyond worship, becoming the first school for Black children in east Indianapolis, with Dr. S.A. Elbert charging $1.25 monthly for classes. Within two years, membership jumped from 8 to over 200.

The historic Chatham Arch district still stands as a monument to this remarkable act of community building.

Thousands Moved North After the Civil War

When the Civil War ended in 1865, many freed Black Americans moved north to cities like Indianapolis. The city had about 75,000 people, but public schools mostly kept Black children out.

The Black community lacked basic services like education and healthcare. Most newcomers couldn’t read or write but really wanted to learn.

This movement helped double Indiana’s Black population from 11,428 in 1860 to 24,560 by 1870.

Quakers Helped When Public Schools Wouldn’t

A group of Black newcomers started a Sunday school in 1865, first known as “the Little Mission. ” Local white Quakers helped with money and running it since most newly arrived Black folks couldn’t read.

The Sunday school quickly became the main place for Black families in east Indianapolis to learn, since public schools turned them away.

This small effort marked the first try to create a learning space for Black residents in that part of the city.

Mrs. Tabott’s Living Room Became Their First Church

Before getting their own building, the group met at Mrs. Tabott’s home at East and St. Clair Streets. Her downstairs rooms with bare floors and simple benches became their worship space.

They used flickering candles for light during services.

These home meetings showed how set the community was on worshiping together, even without proper buildings. Mrs. Tabott’s kindness gave them the start they needed.

The Little Mission Grows Up

The Sunday school took a big step forward at the 27th Annual Conference of African Methodist Episcopal Church in Quincy, Illinois in 1866. Church leaders upgraded the Little Mission to official mission status.

Allen Chapel AME started in August 1866 on Broadway Street with just eight members. Reverend Whitten Lankford from Bethel A.M. E. became their first minister. Some think Lankford may have had arguments with Bethel A. M. E.’s board, which led him to lead the new church.

Christmas 1866 Brought a Real Church Home

The group celebrated Christmas 1866 in their first real church building, a small 36 by 44 foot wooden structure.

They built this church at Broadway and Pomeroy Streets, surrounded by mud, water, and cornfields in what was still a growing area of Indianapolis.

After months of meeting in homes, they finally had their own place. The church stayed at this spot for the next 60 years, until 1926.

A Doctor Taught School for $1.25 a Month

Allen Chapel quickly opened the first day school for Black children in east Indianapolis. Dr. S. A. Elbert, a doctor, took on teaching duties at this school where families paid $1. 25 monthly per student.

This private school filled a big need since public schools mostly kept Black children out. The school matched the founders’ goal of helping people learn to read and write.

The school showed the community’s investment in their children’s future.

Membership Grew to 200 in Just Two Years

By 1867, Allen Chapel had grown from a small mission to an established church with its building nearly paid off. The group grew from the original eight founders to over 200 members in just two years.

This fast growth showed the strong need for such a place in the community. Reaching “station” status meant the church had become financially stable and well-organized.

The change from a small group of formerly enslaved people to a thriving church of 200 happened very quickly.

Eight Founding Members Built Something Lasting

The church’s founders included Mrs. Kate Stewart, Mrs. Mildred King, Mrs. Delia Wilson, Dr. S. A. Elbert, Mr. Harrison Brown, and Mr. Hiram Parks, among others. Many of these first members worked in the church until they died.

Though they came from different backgrounds, they shared a deep commitment to building lasting places for their community. Their hard work turned a small Sunday school into a key part of Indianapolis’s Black community.

More Than Just a Church, It Became a Community Center

Allen Chapel quickly grew into a bright spot in a community that lacked public services for Black Americans. The church served as a social, educational, and spiritual center for the growing Black population.

It filled the big gap left by being kept out of white places and public services throughout Indianapolis. The church became the first place that the Black community fully controlled themselves.

River Towns Drew People from the Upper South

The church started during a big movement of people from the upper South after the Civil War. Much of Indiana’s Black population growth came from families moving to cities and river towns across the state.

Indianapolis and other urban areas saw many more Black residents looking for better chances. Allen Chapel gave both a spiritual home and learning chances for these newly arrived families.

From Slavery to Self-Determination in One Generation

Allen Chapel represented the remarkable determination of formerly enslaved people to create their own institutions.

The church demonstrated African Americans’ capacity for organization and leadership despite facing exclusion from mainstream society. It served multiple crucial roles as church, school, and community center all at once.

The foundation established a pattern for Black institutional development throughout Indianapolis that would continue for decades.

The church’s success proved the community’s ability to build lasting institutions through collective effort, determination, and faith.

Visiting Chatham Arch Historic District, Indiana

You can visit Allen Chapel AME Church at 637 E. 11th Street in the Chatham Arch Historic District.

The church is open Tuesday through Thursday from 11am to 5pm, and Wednesday until 8pm. This church hosted the first major exhibit of African American artist John Wesley Hardrick in 1914.

You can also see the original 1867 building at Broadway and Pomeroy Streets that’s still there today.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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