Rockville in Montgomery County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Clinton A.M.E. Zion Church
Southwest corner of North Washington Street and Beall Avenue
— Rockville's African American Heritage Walking Tour —
In 1867, several of Rockville's African American families left Jerusalem Methodist Episcopal Church to start the African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Zion Church under the leadership of Reverend Charles Pipkins.
In 1890, Pipkins and his congregation cut timbers and erected. a frame church on Middle Lane. The church had an auxiliary building identified on an 1892 map as the Ethiopian Hall, an early reference to Ethiopianism, a movement that later influenced the development of Rastafarianism.
In 1904, the congregation moved to the brick church seen in this photograph, located on North Washington Street and today's Beall Avenue. The church was named Clinton A.M.E. Zion in honor of Reverend George Wylie Clinton (1859-1921), a prominent member and editor of the church's periodical, Star of Zion. The congregation sold the brick church in 1955 to make way for a shopping center, dedicating their present church on Elizabeth Avenue in Lincoln Park in the fall of 1956.
Erected by Rockville African American Walking Tour. (Marker Number 15.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Churches & Religion. In addition,
this page online
Location. 39° 5.202′ N, 77° 9.171′ W. Marker is in Rockville, Maryland, in Montgomery County. Marker is at the intersection of North Washington Street and Beall Avenue when traveling north on North Washington Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Rockville MD 20850, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Of By For (a few steps from this marker); Mr. T's (a few steps from this marker); Rockville's First Colored School / Rockville's Second Colored School (within shouting distance of this marker); Rockville Town Square (within shouting distance of this marker); Galilean Temple (within shouting distance of this marker); Hebron House and Print Shop (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Snowden Funeral Home (about 400 feet away); Jerusalem - Mt. Pleasant Church and Parsonage (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Rockville.
Also see . . . Rockville's African American Heritage Walking Tour. Rockville website entry (Submitted on March 12, 2017, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland.)
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, March 11, 2017
2. Clinton A.M.E. Zion Church Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on April 6, 2024. It was originally submitted on March 12, 2017, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. This page has been viewed 1,131 times since then and 44 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on June 6, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 2. submitted on March 12, 2017, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
