Church History - Absalom Jones
Absalom Jones, born in 1746 in Delaware, was born in slavery. He learned to read at an early age and learned the New Testament. He was taken to Philadelphia when he was 16 by his owners and worked in a store as a clerk and handyman.
But he wanted to be free. He was able to go to school and get married. He saved up enough money to use to obtain his wife's freedom. He was part of a church that told him to sit in a certain place because of the color of his skin. He left that church and formed another one. He became the pastor as well. The church he started was called, "The African Church". The people there helped the people in Philadelphia who were affected by the Yellow Fever Epidemic.
Absalom Jones found schools for his people and supported their efforts as they fought against slavery. He died in the year 1818 and his name was added to the Episcopal church calendar as an optional feast to be celebrated.
Sources: The Church History ABCs.
http://www.aecst.org/ajones.htm
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