History & Legacy
The story of St. James is a living one.
Founded in faith and sustained through generations, St. James has remained a place of worship, service, and community through seasons of change and challenge. Our history is not simply something we remember. It is something we carry forward.
Our Beginnings
Founded on June 23, 1824, The Historic St. James Episcopal Church is recognized as the first African American Episcopal congregation established south of the Mason-Dixon line.
The church was founded by the Reverend William Levington, an abolitionist and one of the earliest Black priests in the Episcopal Church.
At a time when both worship and education were contested for Black Americans, Rev. Levington established St. James as a place of faith, dignity, learning, and community.
In addition to founding the parish, Rev. Levington also operated a school for Black children during a period when educational opportunities for African Americans were widely denied.
From its beginning, St. James was rooted not in comfort, but in courage and conviction.
A Church Through Time
Across generations, St. James has adapted to changing circumstances while remaining anchored in prayer and service.
The church has known growth and transition, moments of challenge and renewal.
Through social change, economic shifts, and evolving neighborhoods, St. James has continued to gather for worship and serve the community with consistency and care.
Change has shaped our story, but faith has sustained it.
A Wider Witness
The history of St. James is intertwined with the broader story of the Episcopal Church and African American religious life in the United States.
Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, whose legal work helped dismantle segregation in America, was among the parish members connected to the life of St. James. Decades later, The Most Reverend Michael B. Curry served as Rector of St. James from 1988 to 2000 before later becoming the first African American Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church.
Bishop Curry has often spoken about his years at St. James, recalling both the strength of the congregation and the resilience of the parish community during difficult seasons, including the years following the church fire caused by a lightning strike during his tenure.
The witness of St. James has not been defined by prominence alone, but by perseverance, leadership, and enduring faith.
What Has Endured
Throughout its history, certain commitments have remained constant.
Worship grounded in prayer and scripture. Service rooted in compassion and dignity. Leadership shaped by responsibility and care. Community sustained by relationship and shared faith.
These enduring values connect past generations to the present and continue to guide the future of the parish.
The history of St. James is not without challenge.
A Living Legacy
History at St. James is not something preserved behind glass.
It is a legacy entrusted to each generation, inviting participation, responsibility, and renewal. The faith that sustained those who came before us continues to shape how we worship, serve, and care for one another today.
The story of St. James is still being written.
Looking Forward
As we honor our past, we remain attentive to the present and open to the future.
We invite those who worship here now, and those who may join us in the years to come, to become part of this ongoing story, carrying forward a legacy of faith, service, and hope.