St. Luke's Episcopal Church - Washington, DC - This Old Church on Waymarking.com

"St. Luke's Episcopal Church, the first separate colored Episcopal Church in the District of Columbia, was organized in 1873 by the Reverend Dr. Alexander Crummell. (Historical documents state that state that St. Luke's Church was set up in 1879 as a "separate" congregation for "colored" Episcopalians with no parish boundaries). After the Civil War, an increased interest in the Episcopal Church became apparent among the colored people of the District of Columbia. Dr. Crummell was invited to leave his native city of New York and come to Washington, D.C. to minister to the spiritual needs among the colored people, particularly those who worshiped at St. Mary's colored mission. He became known as "Missionary-at-Large" to the colored Episcopalians of the District of Columbia.

From 1873 to 1879, the original congregation of St. Luke's was part of St. Mary's colored mission located at 23rd Street between F and G Streets, northwest. St. Mary's Chapel was started by St. John's Church in 1867 and remained under its supervision until May 1927, when it became a separate Parish.

In less than a year after beginning work in Washington, Dr. Crummell reported that he had more than 50 communicants and three Sunday Schools. These worshipers immediately supported his idea to build a large, independent church. In contributions there was a total of $975.51 of which $650.00 was earmarked for the new church. This $650 was the first money contributed for the building of St. Luke's. Episcopalians were encouraged to support the building of the first church for colored worshippers.

By August 1875 the members, Rector and friends in the Diocese had raised sufficient funds to purchase three lots on 15th Street, N.W. at Sampson Street, later Madison Street, and now known as Church Street. Ground was broken and the foundation was laid in July 1876 for the new Church that would be called St. Luke's. The new Church would be build of blue stone quarried from the Potomac River. Dr. Crummell had lived in England for a while and planned the new Church, which was to be Gothic in design, to conform with one he attended while there. Mr. Calvin T.S. Brent, the first colored architect of the District of Columbia was engaged to draw the plans for the Church. Dr. Crummell requested that Mr. Daniel Murray, Assistant Librarian at the Library of Congress, act as Marshall for the occasion of the laying of the cornerstone. On November 9, 1876, the cornerstone of St. Luke's Church was laid by Bishop Pinkney, Assistant Bishop of Maryland. Partially finished, St. Luke's Church was opened for divine service on Thanksgiving Day November 1879. A migration of people from St. Mary's took place."

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"In 1875, some members of St. Mary's Chapel for Colored People in Foggy Bottom and their rector, the Rev. Alexander Crummell, left St. Mary's to found St. Luke's as the first independent black Episcopal church in Washington. Construction on the church began in 1876 and was completed in 1880. The first service, though, was held on Thanksgiving Day, 1879. Calvin T. S. Brent, generally considered to be Washington's first black architect, designed the church after an Anglican church in Coventry, England. Alexander Crummell served as rector until his retirement in 1894.

St. Luke's is still an active parish in the Episcopal Diocese of Washington. The current and eighth rector is the Rev. Virginia Brown-Nolan, whose father, the Rev. Dillard H. Brown was the fifth rector of the parish and later Missionary Bishop of Liberia. The current assistant rector is the Rev. Cassandra Burton."

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Date the Church was built, dedicated or cornerstone laid: 11/09/1876 Age of Church building determined by?: Church website If denomination of Church is not part of the name, please provide it here: Episcopal If Church holds a weekly worship service and "all are welcome", please give the day of the week: Sunday Indicate the time that the primary worship service is held. List only one: 10:00 AM Street address of Church: 1514 15th Street, NW Washington, DC USA 20005 Primary website for Church or Historic Church Building: [Web Link] Secondary Website for Church or Historic Church Building: [Web Link] If Church is open to the public, please indicate hours: Not listed

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