The A. M. E. Zion Church is a different religious body than the A. M. E. Church. Both grew out of racial segregation in early Methodist Episcopal churches, especially in two of the oldest: John Street in Manhattan and St. George's, Philadelphia. The African Methodist Episcopal [A. M. E.] is the older and larger of the two. It was founded by Rev. Richard Allen in Philadelphia, following a racial incident at St. George's. Allen & his fellow blacks left St. George's and founded their own congregation - now Mother Bethel A. M. E. Church in Philadelphia. In 1816, Allen was ordained the first Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church by Bishop Francis Asbury of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Racial incidents at John Street M. E. Church in Lower Manhattan, led to the formation of the A. M. E. Zion Church a few years afterwards. Zion Methodism was stronger in New York; A. M. E. Methodism grew more from its base in Philadelphia. Both churches are part of American Methodism - but are separate denominations from one another - and from the larger United Methodist Church [heir to the M. E. Church, the M. E. Church, South; the M. P. Church; and the E. U. B. churches]. Both the A. M. E. and the A. M. E. Zion have their own Bishops, their own government, etc. There is also the C. M. E. Church [now Christian Methodist Episcopal, formerly Colored Methodist Episcopal] mainly in the South. It grew after the Civil War from the M. E. Church, South. A smaller group is the U. A. M. E. - the Union American Methodist Episcopal Church, which broke off from the A. M. E. in the 1880s/1890s. Again, that has its own heirarchy. For researching, be sure you know which group your church belonged to. At the most recent Conference meetings of the Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference, United Methodist Church, we heard bishops of both the A. M. E. and A. M. E. Zion churches preach and bring "Episcopal Greetings" from their respective denominations. I hope this helps. David David Roberts Hollywood, MD Historian: Hollywood UMC, Hollywood, MD ----- Original Message ----- From: "Robert Sullivan" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Thursday, December 29, 2005 10:19 AM Subject: Re: [NYHIST-L] AME Zion Church > > I am researching the African Methodist Episcopal Church that was incorporated in the Village of Canajoharie in 1857. Apparently the congregation did not last long as there are virtually no records to be found. Is there a centralized location for AME Zion church records to go when the congregations dissolve? I don't have much information to go on, only the date of incorporation and a few names of some early members involved in the incorporation. Any ideas? > > According to the AME site: > > <http://www.ame-church.com/directory/presiding-bishops.php> > > Richard Franklin Norris of Philadelphia is the presiding bishop of the > First Episcopal District, which includes New York. That link gives > phone, e-mail and snail mail contact information. > > There is also a directory of the New York churches: > > <http://www.ame-church.com/directory/search.php?city=&zip=&state=NY&country= US> > > so perhaps one of the larger ones might have some ideas. > > -- > Bob Sullivan > Schenectady Digital History Archive > <http://www.schenectadyhistory.org/> > Schenectady County (NY) Public Library >