Join us online for an engaging discussion as we delve into the rich history of the Mother African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E) Zion Church—the oldest Black church in New York State.
Founded in 1796 and charted in 1799 by Ministers James Varick, Christopher Rush, William Miller, and George Galbreath, introduced Black religious expression while catering to a growing population of Black abolitionists. After affiliate Zion churches started to open, the original church began to distinguish itself as the "Mother" church. Mother Zion served as a stop along the Underground Railroad and was referred to as a "Freedom Church" for its active participation in Black social activism.
The present Neo-Gothic church that was completed in 1925 was a a haven for Black artists and intellectuals during the Harlem Renaissance and an amphitheater for civil rights activism during the 1950s and ‘60s.
About the Speakers:
Reverend Audrey Akins Williamson
The Reverend Audrey Akins Williamson is a proud Alumna of Rutgers University, New Brunswick Theological and Princeton Theological Seminaries. Prior to answering her call to ministry, she was employed in the area of Sales and Marketing for several Fortune 500 Companies, including L’Oréal and American Express. Formerly a Visiting Professor of Sociology, Religion and Gender Studies at Monmouth University, she has served as a Mentor for the RISE since her inception in 2018; she is the Founding Director of the Collaborative for Faith Leadership, housed also at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. She serves Mother AME Zion Church as the Nina M. Neely Minister for Christian Education, and was formerly the Senior Pastor at the St. James AME Zion Church in Matawan, NJ.
Rev. Audrey has served as a Faith and Climate Change Fellow for former Vice President Al Gore, and in the inaugural cohort of the John Templeton Foundation and American Association for Advancement of Science Lifelong Learning Fellowship, at the Yale School of Divinity and Yale School of Medicine, the focus to encourage the exchange of knowledge and expertise between and within the communities of faith and science. She serves on several non-profit boards that focus on Women in Ministry, Empowerment of Women of Color and Mental Health in the African American Community.
Rev. Williamson is engaged in the community in meaningful ways, and holds Area leadership in the Links, Incorporated, and is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.
Reverend Dr. Malcolm J. Byrd
Educated at Livingstone College, SUNY-Purchase, Pacific School of Religion, Princeton Theological Seminary and Wayland Theological Seminary, Rev. Dr. Malcolm J. Byrd is a social change agent seeking to build a “beloved community” in the spirit of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Dr. Byrd is the Chief Operations Officer (COO) for Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network. He served as Vice-Chair of the board for the Brockton Church and Community after School Program, Trustee of the Robert Perry Corporation, Barber Scotia College Foundation, and currently President of the Leon W. Watts II Memorial Scholarship Fund. Dr. Byrd was tapped by the National Council of Churches to serve as the Director of Logistics for the “ACT Now to End Racism Rally” which drew 30,000 people on April 4, 2018 in Washington, DC. Dr. Byrd serves as the youngest member of the Board of Visitors of the Howard University School of Divinity. Dr Byrd was named in the inaugural listing of New York State’s 100 most influential clergy persons by City and State Magazine in 2022. Appointed by New York State Governor Kathy Hochul to the Executive Committee of the State Office of Faith and Non Profit Development, Dr. Byrd helps oversee state funding opportunities for interfaith development projects across the state.
As an ordained Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Dr. Byrd enjoyed successful pastorates in Brockton, Massachusetts, and Greenport, New York. Having been appointed by the Board of Bishops of the A.M.E. Zion Church as Zion’s second Chief of Protocol in 50 years, Dr. Byrd is responsible for establishing order and custom for all national services and ceremonies of the A.M.E. Zion Church.
As historian and preservationist, Dr. Byrd founded the Mother Zion-Dr. Dabney Montgomery Heritage Center. With nearly 50,000 artifacts, documents and photos, this vast and rare collection documents the history of Mother Zion, the African American experience and the Harlem Renaissance.
Dr. Byrd has organized and led many efforts and public demonstrations to draw attention to the plight of marginalized and disinherited people.
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Black Historic Sites in Conversation is a series of virtual talks in collaboration with different Black heritage sites & cultural centers in the greater NYC area, about the ongoing work of preserving, interpreting, and celebrating Black history and historical figures.
This program is supported by the Mellon Foundation.