JOUR 3190 // Speech Story

Speech on First African Methodist Episcopal Church Shows Deep Roots in Black History

Last Friday, students observed a speech at the University of Georgia on the history of the First African Methodist Episcopal Church in Athens. This speech, given by Robert E. Harrison in light of Black History Month in February, quickly grew from showing the importance of the FAME Church in not only Athens history, but also on African-American history.

“Out of all this, what does that have to do with what you’re listening to this morning and why is this historically significant? Well, again, we need to look at what the impact of the AME was in Athens,” Harrison said. “We can talk about it politically, we can see it from the education perspective, certainly from the faith perspective, and in terms of just service to the community.”

Much of the speech was a chronological retelling of the history of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, in general, as well as the FAME Church more specifically. This historical retelling grew to include impactful members of the church and innovations brought to life through the church.

“The AME Church in Athens, it’s leadership founded Savannah State. It was the anchor of the AME Church in Georgia this far north... It established one of the first church schools here in Athens for freed men,” said Harrison of the denomination’s many achievements.

Beyond the achievements of the FAME Church in Athens, Harrison spoke on the importance of the AME Church for African Americans, bringing to light the significance of this topic in regards to Black History Month.

The AME Church, the “first and oldest denomination founded by African-Americans in the United States,” according to Harrison, was vital in the organization and education of freed men following the Civil War.

“Originally, by it being founded by African-Americans, it allowed those people to mend themselves to really to just be men, ‘cause they’re in charge of governing themselves in a non-offensive way,” said Harrison. “So in that way you had a lot of growth and development.”

Harrison, who earned a doctorate in education from the University of Georgia and is the fourth in a line of six generations to attend the FAME Church, spent five years researching the history of the church before releasing his book, “History. People. Legacy: First African Methodist Episcopal Church,” last year.

“He has been so instrumental in influencing so many people’s lives,” said Linda Davis of Athens, a family friend of Harrison that attended the speech. “He is one of the most unsung heroes in Athens-Clarke County.”

The appreciation of Harrison’s work with FAME Church did not end there, as Bessie Johnston, 80, of Athens, a member of the church, held similar sentiments.

“I sure am grateful that we have someone and a committee with the knowledge and desire to do a passion project like this,” Johnston said. “FAME is deeply rooted in this community. He told it like I remember hearing it."