Bethel African Methodist Church in Lancaster: Prolegomenon to a Social History by Leroy Hopkins, Ph.D. in Lancaster City"s southeastern quadrant, at the juncture of North and Strawberry Streets, stands a structure which has long been connected with Lancaster"s Afro-American community: Bethel Africa

of color" in 1817, and in the 1850's assumed a leadership position among Lancaster City's Black popula- tion. Incorporated in 1848 as the "African Methodist Episcopal Church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania" Bethel soon housed a "Free African School" and served as a meetingplace for a literary society

met with the stated purpose of im- proving the condition of free persons of color in the United States, purchasing lands, and establishing a settlement in Upper Canada." This reversal in policy was well motivated. The colonization movement had not always used persuasion to obtain its colonists. The

document of some relevance to local Black history. Upon closer examination, the ledger, entitled Negro Entry Book, proved to be a register of those "free persons of color" who had complied with directives contained in the above ordinance. The outline of a project became clear. The Historical Society was

Henry Miller. 11 January 1827. Deposition of John Elsen. 11 January 1827. Insert 3 Note stating the receipt of a petition and affidavits from the trustees of the Society of Seventh Day Baptists of Ephrata. 15 January 1827. Names of persons presented as security to the Judges of the Orphans’ Court

, shoes and stockings. They were accompanied by 30 women and the same number of children, which resulted in bitter controversy among local authorities as to who would pay for their unbudgeted rations. Borough officials often were not informed in advance as to how many persons had to be fed or housed when