According to church historians, nearly two centuries ago, the room above St. Paul AME’s sanctuary hid slaves traveling on the Underground Railroad. By 1850, It’s estimated that 100,000 slaves ...

Hunter referenced some of the hard times the congregation has endured including arsonists burning down the first building in 1930s. Yet in 2024, St. Paul AME remains part of Glencoe’s tapestry.

Reverend Celona Hayes was appointed as St. Paul AME’s pastor last October and was welcomed during the church's 140th anniversary reception.

“The church has always been the church of civil rights,” said longtime St. Paul AME member Pete Edwards. The century-old church on 506 E. Harrison St. looks a lot different on the inside.

Greater St. Paul AME Church, with just over 300 members at 315 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., is the oldest Black religious institution in the area, celebrating 130 years since it was founded.