PRINTER'S NO. 2446
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
510
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY NEILSON, DONATUCCI, SOLOMON, HENNESSEY, KINSEY,
MURT, ROTHMAN, DRISCOLL, FREEMAN, BIZZARRO, RABB, SAINATO,
O'BRIEN, THOMAS, WHEATLEY, DiGIROLAMO, MILLARD, READSHAW,
QUIGLEY, MARSICO, CALTAGIRONE, VAZQUEZ, DeLUCA, ROEBUCK AND
JOZWIAK, SEPTEMBER 21, 2017
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
SEPTEMBER 21, 2017
A RESOLUTION
Honoring the bicentennial of the Bethany African Methodist
Episcopal Church in Philadelphia.
WHEREAS, Bethany African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church
of Northeast Philadelphia is celebrating 200 years of standing
on the promises of God and being in service to the community;
and
WHEREAS, Bethany A.M.E. Church was founded in 1817 by Elias
Chase with the help of freed slaves, making it the second-oldest
A.M.E. congregation in the world; and
WHEREAS, The church dates to the pre-Civil War years, when
freed slaves acquired modest farms in the area; and
WHEREAS, A church building was constructed on land donated by
the Quakers shortly after the turn of the 19th century; and
WHEREAS, Historical records show that there were several
African-American landowners in the vicinity of present-day
Ashton Road; and
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
WHEREAS, Many area residents were sharecroppers who used
their accumulated resources to build the second A.M.E. Church in
1817; and
WHEREAS, Bethany A.M.E. Church has served as a place of free
worship for all residents of Philadelphia since 1817; and
WHEREAS, Bethany A.M.E. Church represents one of the most
important and historic institutions in this Commonwealth;
therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives honor the
bicentennial of Bethany African Methodist Episcopal Church in
Philadelphia.
20170HR0510PN2446 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11