Faith • Courage • Justice
A Sacred Legacy Since 1866
From a prayer movement in Selma homes to a National Historic Landmark, Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church has stood at the meeting place of faith, freedom and community.
Our Beginning
Brown Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church had its beginnings as a prayer movement in 1866 in the homes of the forefathers of some present-day members. The movement was organized into an A.M.E. Church in the basement of the Albert Hotel in Selma and admitted into the A.M.E. Connection in 1867.
The first frame structure was erected on the present site in 1869 and re-erected in 1908. It is the only building remaining of the work of A. J. Farley, an early 20th-century Black builder from Dallas County.
A Beacon of the Voting Rights Movement
During the 1960s, the church became known throughout the world for its role in the Voting Rights Movement, including the “Bloody Sunday” confrontation and the subsequent march from Selma to the state capitol in Montgomery.
Mass meetings were held in Black churches to organize, create unity and work toward the common goal of voting rights. After an injunction temporarily stopped civil-rights activities in Selma, Brown Chapel Pastor P. H. Lewis—with the agreement of Bishop I. H. Bonner—opened the church’s doors again. Brown Chapel became the primary site for mass meetings, while the pastor and congregation provided shelter for many participants.
On March 7, 1965, a small group gathered on Brown Chapel’s steps and began a march toward Montgomery. Led by John Lewis, they reached the Edmund Pettus Bridge, where sheriff’s deputies and state troopers violently stopped them. Approximately 50 people were injured. The day became known as “Bloody Sunday” and is commemorated annually during Selma’s Bridge Crossing Jubilee.
On March 21, 1965, thousands—led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.—rallied and prayed at the bridge under the protection of the Alabama National Guard. More than 300 people completed the 47-mile march to Montgomery. On August 6, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law.
A Living Landmark
In 1997, the Selma to Montgomery route was designated a National Historic Trail, beginning at the front steps of Brown Chapel. In March 1998, the church was named a National Historic Landmark for its significant participation in the struggle for equality and justice for all people.
Today, Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church continues to stand on the cutting edge of social change and spiritual enrichment—a testimony to unwavering faith and the spirit God can invoke in committed people.