Founders’ Day (2025)

A white sign sticking out from a stone building that reads "Mother African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church," framed by green trees.

Mother AME Zion Church

Side-view of several AME Zion church pews, full of clapping parishioners and event attendees.

Audience

Reverend Malcolm J. Byrd stands at the pulpit and addresses the church during service.

Audience

Reverend Malcolm J. Byrd, Cynthia Copeland, and Reverend S. Raschaad Hoggard address the audience from the stage in Mother AME Zion church's social hall.

Panel Discussion

Reverend Malcolm J. Byrd, Cynthia Copeland, and Reverend S. Raschaad Hoggard
Members of the audience of the panel discussion in Mother AME Zion Church's social hall.

Panel Discussion Audience

Deputy Manhattan Borough President Keisha Sutton-James converses with Envisioning Seneca Village members Leah Meisterlin and Meredith Linn in the social hall of Mother AME Zion Church.

Keisha Sutton-James, Leah Meisterlin, Meredith Linn

Mother AME Zion Church

Audience

Audience

Panel Discussion

Reverend Malcolm J. Byrd, Cynthia Copeland, and Reverend S. Raschaad Hoggard

Panel Discussion Audience

Keisha Sutton-James, Leah Meisterlin, Meredith Linn

200 years ago, on September 17, 1825, congregant Andrew Williams and the trustees of the AME Zion Church were among the first to purchase land in the area between West 82nd and 89th Streets, which would become Seneca Village.

On Sunday, September 14, the Central Park Conservancy honored this significant anniversary with a music-filled service at the historic AME Zion Church in Harlem—the first Black church in New York City (in collaboration with the James L. Varick Community Center, Inc.).

Seneca Village Founders' Day (2025)

View with audio description

  • Sound begins: 9:30
  • First mention of historical anniversaries: 18:35
    • Founding of AME Zion Church: 19:18
    • First offering of communion unsupervised by whites: 19:43
    • Practice of 2nd Sunday communion/John Street Church: 20:27
    • Why telling of history, now, is essential: 21:00
  • First reference of Seneca Village founding: 22:00-25:00
  • Reverend Byrd's welcoming of the Williams family: 22:00-27:55
  • Reverend Byrd's sermon: 47:17-1:10:00

Panel Discussion: Founders' Day (2025)

Following the service, Reverend Dr. Raschaad Hoggard facilitated a discussion between Reverend Malcolm J. Byrd and Dr. Cynthia Copeland about the interconnected history of Seneca Village and Mother AME Zion Church (above).

Members of the Institute for the Exploration of Seneca Village History and the Envisioning Seneca Village team were also present to answer questions about their research.