Saint Paul A. M. E. Church
Houston, Harris County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Organized in 1869, Saint Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church has been a part of First Ward history for over a century. The first pastor of the church was the Rev. David Wren. Services were held in a brush arbor until a sanctuary was built in 1873. The building was destroyed by the 1900 hurricane. It was rebuilt and has been modified several times over the years. An elementary school, established by the church in the 1870s, became part of the public school system and in 1927 was named for Richard Brock, early church member and city alderman.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Organized in 1869, just after emancipation, Saint Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church became a cornerstone of Houston's First Ward Black community. Worshippers first met in a brush arbor before building a sanctuary in 1873; when the catastrophic 1900 hurricane destroyed it, the congregation rebuilt. A church-founded elementary school of the 1870s later entered the public system, renamed for early member and city alderman Richard Brock.
Why it matters
Founded in the first years of Reconstruction, Saint Paul reflects how newly free African Americans built enduring institutions of faith, education, and civic leadership in the postwar South.
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Related people
- · David Wren
- · Richard Brock
Related events
- · 1900 Galveston hurricane
Themes & tags
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