Loving Through Christ Since 1801
THE HISTORY OF
EVANS METROPOLITAN A.M.E. ZION CHURCH
ORIGIN
Henry Evans was a free Black cobbler who was traveling through North Carolina during the late 1700s. He stopped in Fayetteville, and felt the call to preach to those enslaved in the area.
The location where he and worshippers gathered was called "The African Meeting Place." Despite being chased out several times for doing so, he eventually was able to preach to a large congregation.
EARLY YEARS
The church was chartered as Evans Chapel in 1801. Henry Evans became known as the "Father of Methodism" in Fayetteville. He passed away in 1810 and is buried in the mantle of the church.
After the Civil War,
Evans Metropolitan served as a location for the education of African Americans during the Reconstruction Era.
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MODERN ERA
The current structure was erected in 1893 under the management of James Williams and Joseph Steward.
Over the years, Evans continued to play a significant role in the community. It was the location for events like a community town hall meeting during the
Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s.
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In recognition of Evans' historic legacy, the church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
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