Daytona Beach in Volusia County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)

Mount Zion AME Church

449 South Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard

— Black Heritage Trail —

Mount Zion AME Church Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Stephen Thomas White, March 26, 2025

1. Mount Zion AME Church Marker

Inscription. One of the area’s oldest Black churches, Mount Zion AME (African Methodist Episcopal), was founded in 1888 and initially served the spiritual needs of the Black settlement of Freemanville, in northeast Port Orange. After the citrus grove freezes of 1894-95, many Blacks from the Port Orange Mount Zion Church moved to Newtown looking for work, and the church followed, moving to South Street in Daytona Beach around 1900, and to its present site in 1924. The 1924 construction occurred under the leadership of the Late Rev. C.J. Oates.

As the congregation grew, several additions and improvements to the church have been made. In 2021, the Reverend Sandara Williams became the first female pastor at Mount Zion.

The African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, the first independent Black denomination in the U.S., played a crucial role in American history by providing a space for Black worship and community, advocating for social justice, and fostering education and leadership within the Black community.

Timeline
1787 AME forms as first Black Denomination
1888 Begins in Freemanville
1894 Orange Grove Freeze

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1900 Church relocates to South Street
1924 Church relocates to present location
2021 First Female Pastor

(caption)
Richard V. Moore

To learn more about the Black Heritage Trail and additional locations, visit daytonabeach.gov/blackheritagetrail

Soul Of A Community/Light Of A Nation

Erected by City of Daytona Beach and the Department of State, Division of Historical City of Daytona Beach and the Department of State, Division of Historical Resources Resources.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Religion & Religious Structures. In addition, it is included in the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1888.

Location. 29° 12.065′ N, 81° 1.466′ W. Marker is in Daytona Beach, Florida, in Volusia County. It is at the intersection of 449 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and Loomis Avenue, on the left when traveling south on 449 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 449 Dr Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard, Daytona

Photographed by Stephen Thomas White, January 7, 2026

2. Mount Zion AME Church Marker

Beach FL 32114, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in First Coast.

It is also in the American South

and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Daytona Times Building (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Howard Thurman Home (approx. 0.2 miles away); Historic Childhood Home of Dr. Howard Thurman (approx. 0.2 miles away); John H. Dickerson Community Center (approx. ¼ mile away); Mount Bethel Baptist Institutional Church (approx. 0.3 miles away); Masonic Lodge No. 36 (approx. 0.3 miles away); Olds Hall (approx. 0.4 miles away); Delos A. Blodgett House (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Daytona Beach.

Also see . . .
1. Mount Zion AME Church.

Mount Zion AME Church image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Stephen Thomas White, January 7, 2026

3. Mount Zion AME Church

(Submitted on October 3, 2026, by Stephen Thomas White of Norfolk, Virginia.)
2. Mt. Zion A.M.E. to celebrate 100 years at its present location . (Submitted on October 3, 2026, by Stephen Thomas White of Norfolk, Virginia.)

Mount Zion AME Church Dedication Plaque image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Stephen Thomas White, January 7, 2026

4. Mount Zion AME Church Dedication Plaque

Credits. This page was last revised on October 5, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 3, 2026, by Stephen Thomas White of Norfolk, Virginia. This page has been viewed 10 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 3, 2026, by Stephen Thomas White of Norfolk, Virginia. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.