Emory United Methodist Church, African American Heritage Trail
Location
Emory United Methodist Church was founded in 1832 as Emory Methodist Episcopal Church South. Prior to the Civil War, it served a primarily wealthy white congregation with 13 “colored members.” During the war the church became a hospital and barracks for nearby Fort Stevens. In the 1960s its membership diminished as many white families left the Brightwood neighborhood, but due to the efforts of black church members, the church rebounded. Pastors and members made the church community-centered, creating a “church beyond the walls.”
Interview, Emory United Methodist Church, 2003.
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Testimonials
This tour delivers the goods. Being raised just outside of washington d.c. (Bethesda), I've gone on innumerable DC sightseeing tours in my lifetime. Every time a family friend or relative visited from out of town meant another trip down to the Mall, another sightseeing tour. Monument tours, ghost tours, "Duck" tours, you name it I've done it. But out of all the DC tours I've been on this was one of the best. I went last weekend with my nieces and nephews on the Capitol Hill tour, which lasted a little over two hours. The tour guide was extremely knowledgeable of the historic sites and presented the information in a fun and lively manner. His enthusiam for the subject was infectious. He had my nieces and nephews in rapt atttention from start to finish. Highly recommend.