Episode description
As we celebrate Black History Month, we turned to Wesley Union A.M.E Zion Church. Wesley Union A.M.E Zion Church is the oldest black church with deep roots in the fight for justice and equality.
According to Joyce Scott Parker, church historian, Wesley Union was the first African American church in Harrisburg and played a role in the Underground Railroad.
Our second church is the church that housed people who were trying to get of the life that they were living and get to a new life, and we had several members of our church who helped them do what they needed to do go higher in the world or to go even further north than Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, “said Parker.
The church is still playing a huge role in the community. David T. Miller, Pastor of Wesley Union Zion A.M.E Church.
“Pennsylvania is a Commonwealth state, and it was a free state as well the state of Pennsylvania. So, individuals came here whether they wanted to go further up north to New York or they plant their roots here in Harrisburg. Well, the upside to it is Wesley Union Zion Church clings on to that rich history because we have individuals who are coming through to better themselves and some people stop off in Harrisburg stop by Wesley and say I like this place. This is where I want to live. This is where I want to reside and our model for our church is to make an impact in our community which we have done on a consistent basis, “said Miller.
Located inside the church is a history room. One of the items inside are books, certificates, old photos, and more.
“We have the shovel which we kept the shovel for the groundbreaking when we built our current edifice. When Sister Parker speaks of the ashes, what is typical in the black church when you purchase a building or build a building, you get a loan from the bank or whatnot and once the edifice is paid off, you have what is called a mortgage burning. This is a big thing in the black church. You got together and burned a mortgage, “said Miller.
The church burned every mortgage into ashes that are now kept in jars in the history rooms.
“The significance of that is at any point in time someone could dig their hand in the jar and they could look about whatever they went through, whatever trial they had and they could say, oh wow, look where God has brought us from. So, we have the significance part of that being that mason jar, “said Miller.
The Lincoln Cemetery in Harrisburg is an extension of Wesley Union AME Zion Church. The cemetery also holds historical figures like William Howard Day and black civil war veterans. The first church was built in 1816, and in 1817 the church decided to build there own cemetery.
“It's not big, but it's big enough to hold Civil War veterans, distinguished people in Harrisburg who, of course they're dead now, but anyway, distinguished people, many. Reverend Miller already said that we have distinguished people there, “said Parker.
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