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User:Mr.CDunn/Goodwin Memorial A.M.E Zion Church

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Goodwin Memorial A.M.E Zion Church ... is the oldest of 2 African American churches located in Amherst, Massachusetts.

History

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Goodwin Memorial A.M.E Zion Church developed from the First Congregational Church of Amherst, still used as a place of worship today. The Church permitted slaves and servants of the town to attend mass alongside their owners. As early as 1742, the list of communication members of the First Congregational Church includes "George, a Negro servant"need citation info for AHM packet

After the erection of Amherst Academy in 1812, students and faculty of what would become Amherst College in 1821 began holding Sunday school classes and chapel services in the Academy. These services were primarily intended for children of the faculty, but children of the African American "servants" were also allowed to attend. These services were held through the 1860's lacking a specific, designated meeting location (find out when Amherst Academy was torn down). With funds collected from Amherst College faculty and townspeople, a chapel was erected in 1869. The building was named Zion Chapel, and stood on Parson's Street, what is today Woodside Avenue (add ref1).

As time progressed, Amherst College's involvement with Zion Chapel began diminish, and by 1900 the church parishioner's were maintaining the Chapel independently. In 1904, as a tool to help sustain themselves, Booker T. Washington was recruited to help with fund-raising efforts (add ref1). In 1905 the members of Zion Chapel officially organized into the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, and in 1910 constructed a new place of worship and meeting further down Woodside Ave. Moses Goodwin was appointed the chairman of the board for the Church and during the opening ceremonies said "After 50 years of dependence upon others, the colored people have determined to have a church of their own" -Hampshire Gazette, July 10, 1910 (add ref1).

In 1967 the Name of the church changed once again to it's present form, Goodwin Memorial A.M.E Zion Chapel in honor of Moses Goodwin and his family. The Church is still active and meets at the location constructed in 1910.

References

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