From Slavery to Priesthood
Absalom Jones was born into slavery in 1746 in Delaware. He taught himself to read using the New Testament and was sold to a master in Philadelphia at age 16. There he was allowed to work nights, attend an all-black school, and save money, eventually buying his wife’s freedom as well as his own in 1784.
Jones became a lay preacher at St. George’s Methodist Episcopal Church alongside his friend Richard Allen. Their evangelizing caused black membership to grow tenfold, concerning white members who forced blacks to sit segregated in the balcony. In 1787, Jones, Allen and the black members walked out in protest.
Founding the First Black Church
After leaving St. George’s, Jones and Allen founded the Free African Society in 1787 to aid the black community. In 1791, they established the African Church, intending to remain Methodist but members voted to join the Episcopal Church. The church was accepted in 1794 and renamed the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas with Jones as its leader.
Jones was ordained as an Episcopal deacon in 1795 and priest in 1804, becoming the first African American Episcopal priest. He continued advocating for civil rights alongside Allen.
Lasting Legacy
In his lifetime, Jones founded schools for the black community in Philadelphia. He called on Congress to abolish slavery in 1800. He served as the first Grand Master of the First African Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania in 1815.
Jones left an immense legacy as a religious pioneer and civil rights leader before passing away in 1818. The church he founded, now named the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas, remains a vibrant congregation today.
