Bishop Daniel Alexander Payne

Bishop Daniel Alexander Payne

1811

Charleston, South Carolina

Bishop, Abolitionist, Historian, Educator

1893

Payne, an abolitionist, clergyman, historian and educator was born to free parents in Charleston, South Carolina. Orphaned by ten, he was raised by an aunt and educated by a private tutor.

• From age 12 worked as a shoemaker, carpenter and tailor
• At age 19 opened school for African American children
• School closed due to laws restricting education for African Americans
• Studied at Lutheran Theological Seminary, 1835-37
• In 1839 ordained as 1^st African American minister in Lutheran church
• Joined A.M.E. church in 1841
• From 1842-43 assisted escaping slaves seeking freedom in Canada
• In 1848 wrote a history of the A.M.E. church
• Elected 6^th Bishop of the A.M.E. church in 1853
• Strong advocate of an educated clergy & non-emotional worship style
• Pastored Baltimore’s Bethel A.M.E. church
• Organized Baltimore’s Ebenezer A.M.E. Church
• In 1856, was America’s 1^st African American college president, heading Wilberforce College (now university)
• 1^st funeral held at Wilberforce
• Lay in state at Baltimore’s Bethel A.M.E. church for 2 days
• 2^nd funeral held at Bethel followed by burial at Laurel
• Frederick Douglass spoke at unveiling of his monument on 5-22-1894

Donna T. Hollie, PhD

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