Philadelphia renames street in honor of AME Church founder Richard Allen 

Philadelphia has renamed a section of a street in honor of Bishop Richard Allen, a prominent black clergyman and a founder of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church.

At an Oct. 7 ceremony, officials unveiled the new name, “Bishop Richard Allen Way,” for the section of Lombard Street that is home to the historic Mother Bethel AME Church.

Bishop Samuel Lawrence Green Sr., who oversees the First Episcopal District of the AME Church, spoke at the ceremony, Billy Penn at WHYY reported.

“What is the Bishop Richard Allen Way?” Green asked. “The Bishop Richard Allen Way is freedom. That’s why Allen purchased his own freedom, because he believed that all persons deserve and have earned the right to be free, and he stood on principles of freedom.”

“The Bishop Allen Way was his protest against inequality, protest against injustice, protest against hate, racism and sexism, and any form of ‘isms’ that do not elevate and promote love, unity and happiness,” Green added.

Green found significance to the fact that the new street sign is next to a “one way” sign, as it is “one way in the theme and the mission of the city of Philadelphia, which is brotherly love and sisterly affection.”

“And we refuse to allow any other entity or any other divisive person to cause us to think any other way than to love, support and encourage one another,” he continued.

Born into slavery in 1760, Allen became a Methodist at 17, partly because Methodists officially opposed slavery. But he still faced racial prejudice among Methodists.

In response, Allen helped launch Mother Bethel, an influential historically black congregation in Philadelphia. He later helped found the AME Church in 1816 and became its first bishop.

Allen also served Philadelphia through charitable work. He and other leaders of the Free African Society helped care for people affected by the 1793 yellow fever epidemic.

In June, the Philadelphia City Council passed a resolution naming the section of Lombard Street between 6th and 7th Streets “Bishop Richard Allen Way” in honor of his legacy.

Among other things, the resolution called Allen an “esteemed citizen of Philadelphia,” “Black founding father” and “prophet of freedom and justice.”

Allen is not the first prominent African American clergyman recently honored with a Philadelphia street name.

In 2022, city officials named a section of Lancaster Avenue in honor of the Rev. Absalom Jones, the first African American to be ordained a priest in The Episcopal Church.

That stretch includes the historic African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas, a historically black congregation founded in the 18th century and once led by Jones.