1801

The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church was formally organized in New York City in 1801, establishing an independent Black denomination. The congregation had been meeting since 1796 but achieved formal organization under its own governance. It became known as the 'Freedom Church' for its role in the abolitionist movement and the Underground Railroad.

John Chavis, a free Black man who had studied at Princeton in the 1790s, was licensed as a Presbyterian minister around 1801 and became a respected teacher in North Carolina and Virginia. He educated both Black and white students, including the children of prominent white families, and is considered among the first Black Americans known to have attended an American college.

John Chavis, a free Black man who had studied at Princeton in the 1790s, was licensed as a Presbyterian minister around 1801 and became a respected teacher in North Carolina and Virginia. He educated both Black and white students, including the children of prominent white families, and was regarded as one of the best-educated men in the region. He is considered among the first Black Americans known to have attended an American college.