Rev. Richard Allen

Rev. Richard Allen Preacher. Allen, his wife Sarah and others opened the doors of Bethel AME Church on July 29, 1794, on the site of a converted blacksmith shop on Sixth Street in Philadelphia. Abolitionist. Allen focused his sermons on the freedom of slaves, cessation of colonization, education of youths and temperance. Educator. Recognizing that former slaves and freedmen needed education, he opened a day school for black children and a night school for adults. Allen published articles in Freedom’s Journal attacking slavery,