Our History
Mt. Carmel African Methodist Episcopal Church History Timeline
1879: Local elder Whitfield Griffin along with Sisters Martha Gore, Mary Easley, Hannah Gibbs, Fannie Jones and Sarah Jane Cotton, Phyllis Blunt; Brothers Lundon Gibbs, James McDonald, Abraham Blunt and Mervin Griffin became dissatisfied with their place of worship. As did Richard Allen some 92 years earlier, they decided to walk out of that place. As a result of that walkout, an African Methodist Episcopal Church was established in Southport.
Following the walk out, a meeting was called at the U.S. Army Barracks at Fort Johnston on Bay Street in Southport to organize the church. It was at these barracks that they first began to hold prayer and worship services.
Later, this group of Christians decided to build a church so that they could worship under their own “vine and fig tree.” They purchased the land and a small building was erected at the corner of what is now known as North Lord and West Leonard Streets. At the time of the dedication service, the church was named Tabernacle African Methodist Episcopal Church.
August 24, 1886: Louis A & Henrietta Galloway sold a lot located at North Lord & St. George Street to Elder Whitfield Griffin and the congregation of Tabernacle AME Church. (Ref: Brunswick County Register of deed book FF page 432)
1888: Cramped for space the Tabernacle AME Church moved into the old vacant 30’x50’ Methodist Church South (aka Trinity United Methodist Church) built in 1814 that had been relocated closer to the Masonic Lodge on Nash Street. This building until St. Phillips Episcopal Church built in the 1850’s, was the only church building in the community. (Ref. Trinity United Methodist Church History)
Until the organization of Tabernacle A.M.E. Church, the black and white people of the area worshipped together in this building. The building was constructed of wood and was 30 x 50 feet. It had a front porch and two front doors, two aisles and a gallery that extended along three sides of the interior.
May 1, 1890: The Old Methodist Church South, advertised for sale in these columns a week ago has been sold to Whitfield Griffin’s congregation, who will move it and hold their services in it in the future. The purchase is a good one and a bargain at the price paid. (Ref: The Southport Leader 1 May 1890 Thursday page 4)
May 15, 1890: Whitfield Griffin is preparing to move the old Methodist Church South which he purchased, to a lot in the Western part of town. (Ref: The Southport Leader 15 May 1890 Thursday page 4)
May 22, 1890: Whitfield Griffin’s congregation will on tomorrow night give a concert and festival for the purpose of raising funds to move their church building to the lot recently purchased. The festival will be held at the old meeting house. (Ref: The Southport Leader 22 May 1890 Thursday page 4)
July 17,1890: The building was moved to its present location at the corner of North Lord and St. George Streets. This was a tremendous undertaking as the building had to be moved more than a mile by rolling it on logs. Later these same logs were to be used as a part of the foundation of the building. The women of the church prepared food and fed the men as they performed this gigantic task. As men in the congregation were few in number, it became necessary for the women to sometime join the men in their work. At the dedication service in September 1890, the name of the church was changed to Mt. Carmel African Methodist Episcopal Church. (Ref: The Southport Leader 17 July 1890 Thursday page 4)
September 11, 1890: The colored Masons of Wilmington and Southport will lay the corner stone of the A.M.E. church on next Monday. (Ref: The Southport Leader 11 Sept. 1890 Thursday page 4)
September 16, 1890: Giblem Lodge No. 2, colored masons of this city, went to Southport yesterday to officiate at the laying of the corner stone of Mt. Carmel AME Church. They went down on the steamer Sylvan Grove and were accompanied by a large number of colored people of this city. The Lodge marched to the steamer from their hall down Market Street and was headed by the Convivial Cornet Band, sixteen pieces, which played some excellent selection on the way. After having an interesting day of it at Southport the party returned to the city yesterday evening. . (Ref: The Wilmington Messenger, 16 Sept. 1890 Thursday page 4)
July 16, 1891: First known advertisement in the newspaper announcing Mt. Carmel AME Church service times Rev. L.E. Edwards was the pastor. (Ref: The Southport Leader 16 July 1891 Thursday page 3)
July 7, 1892: There will be a grand concert given at Mt. Carmel A. M. E. Church on Wednesday, July 13th, 1892, by Miss Mary Jones, of Raleigh, better known as the southern mocking bird. The admission is only 10 cents. Reserved seats for white visitors who are cordially invited. (Ref: The Southport Leader 07 July 1892 Thursday page 4)
November 24, 1892: Rev. L. E. Edward, pastor of the A. M. E. Church at Southport, left on Monday afternoon for Kinston, N. C., to attend the A. M. E. conference, at that place. (Ref: The Southport Leader 24 November 1892 Thursday page 4)
January 5, 1893: Rev. Scipio Saul has taken the place of Rev. L. E. Edwards as pastor of the A. M. E. Church at this place. (Ref: The Southport Leader 05 July 1893 Thursday page 4)
May 24, 1894: A lecture with stereopticon views of the World’s Fair, will be given tonight at the A.M.E. Church, by A.B. Vincent, for the benefit of Home Missions. Judging from the testimonial which accompany the above announcement the entertainment will prove worth attending. Admission ten cents. (Ref: The Southport Leader 24 May 1894 Thursday page 4)
August 16, 1894: The Mount Carmel A.M.E. Church will hold its annual camp meeting, beginning today and continuing through next Sunday. (Ref: The Southport Leader 16 August 1894 Thursday page 4)
April 4, 1895: Tomorrow, Friday night, a concert will be given by the members of the church and Sunday school of the A.M.E. church. Good order will be maintained. White people are invited to attend the concert. Admission, adults, 10 cents, children, 5 cents. Proceeds to go to paying off the church indebtedness, George Washington pastor. (Ref: The Southport Leader 04 April 1895 Thursday page 4)
1906: A new gallery was built on the church and a parsonage was built beside the church.
1909: The front porch and the steeple were removed. The remodeling included new trim and interior paint. The work was done under the direction of Rev. Jeremiah Nixon.
**Feb. 29, 1912: Civil War veteran and founding member of Mt. Carmel AME Church, Abram Blount died.
1913: A center aisle was added, and new pews were purchased. Stained glass windows were brought to replace the old windows. A new alter and pulpit were constructed and installed by the George Albert Gore who was later to become a Presiding Elder of the A. M. E. Church. That same year Mt. Carmel became the first black church in Southport to install electric lights. This work was done under the direction of Rev. L. R. Pearce.
**Feb.4,1927: Civil War veteran and member of Mt. Carmel AME Church, Abram Galloway died.
1930: The old plastered walls were torn out and new wooden walls were installed. Brother William (Bing) Moore was appointed carpenter foreman. Other members who worked on this project were Brothers Richard Griffin Sr., Elias (Nehi) Gore, Robert Lee, Harold Griffin, Victor Gore and Rev. Robert Wilson Moore. The Work Progress Administration (W.P.A.) aid the cost of labor.
August 26, 1936: New Bern District Sunday School Convention held at Mt. Carmel AME more than 150 in attendance.
1952: under the pastorate of Rev. J. C. Grady, the old two-story parsonage (1953) was torn down and replaced with the building now serving as our parsonage.
September 19, 1956: Mrs. Sarah Jane Cotton last of the founding member of Mt. Carmel A.M.E. Church died, she was 103 years old.
1956: It was during the pastorate of the Rev. L. E. Humphrey in 1957 that it was decided that the church should be bricked. The job was begun under Rev. Humphrey, but was not completed before he was transferred to another church.
1961: The Rev. Louis T. Whitted came to the church in 1961.The completion of the bricking of the church was accomplished. In addition, a new brick annex was built. This annex joined the parsonage and the church and contained spaces for two rest rooms, choir room, pastor’s study and spaces for Sunday school classes. A new steeple with a light was added to the church. It was dedicated with the hope that the light would help light the way for some weary souls. Also under the administration of Rev. Whitted, new cushioned pews were placed in the church and a lighted bulletin board was placed on the outside. Rev. Whitted was the pastor of Mt. Carmel for twelve (12) years and to date served longer than any other minister.
1973: under the pastorate of Rev. Artie Odom, Jr., new paneling was placed in the church and the parsonage, wall to wall carpet was installed in the church, central heat and air was installed and the pulpit was enlarged.
1976: Rev. A. L. Henley was pastor in. During this time new furniture was purchased for the parsonage.
1977: During the administration of Rev. Robert D. Boykins, new pulpit furniture was purchased and a new alter rail was installed.
1978 Rev. Richard Smith was appointed to Mt. Carmel in 1978 -79. He and his family were the first to stay in the parsonage.
1980: The Rev. T. Campbell was assigned to lead this flock at the annual conference in 1980. He was the pastor when new draperies were installed in the annex and the Pastor’s study was carpeted. New sidewalks were laid and the outside lawn area reseeded. Rev. Campbell was successful in bringing to Mt. Carmel, Bishop John Hurst Adams, the 87th Bishop elected and consecrated in the history of the A.M.E. Church. Bishop Adams came in 1982 as guest speaker for our 103rd anniversary celebration.
1984: Rev. J. A. Richburg was assigned to Mt. Carmel. Under his leadership we made extensive repairs to our church and parsonage. A new metal roof was put on the church and parsonage. The woodwork around the windows and doors were reworked and painted, and a new glass door was installed at the front entrance of the church. It was at this same time that new windows, doors and roof were placed on the parsonage. Under Rev. Richburg the Young People’s Department was reorganized and revitalized.
1987: Rev. Artie Odom, Jr. was assigned to our church for the second time. In receiving this appointment he became only the second minister to pastor Mt. Carmel two different periods. (The only other minister to do this was Rev. G. Washington who was the 3rd and 18th pastor of Mt. Carmel.) Under Rev. Odom’s pastorate, we installed storm and heat blocking windows and renovated the parsonage.
1991: Rev. W. T. Ennett, Jr. was assigned to lead the flock at Mt. Carmel. Rev. Ennett represented the Church at the 1992 General Conference in Florida.
1993: The conference brought Rev. Richard H. Davis, Jr. to Mt. Carmel. It was during the tenure of Rev. Richard Davis that the glass-stained window fund was initiated, a lawn mower purchased, and a new steeple was erected on the church. The old one had been destroyed by a hurricane Emily. The parsonage was renovated to include Sunday School classrooms and additional dining space. The WMS was named in honor of one of the oldest members of Mt. Carmel A.M.E. Church, Sister Sarah Jane Cotton.
2000: Rev. Janice Harris became the first female pastor of Mt. Carmel AME Church.
2001: Rev. Jessie Harrison was assigned to Mt. Carmel. Rev. Harrison represented Mt. Carmel at the Festival of Churches in Washington, DC in the summer of 2001.
2002: Rev. Dr. E. B. Sturdivant was assigned to Mt. Carmel. Under the leadership of Rev. Sturdivant two members answered the call to deliver God’s word and one answered the call to exhort. The glass-stained window project was completed and the windows were installed. The parsonage was completely renovated with sleeping quarters and a computer lab added. The E. B. Sturdivant Gospel Choir was born and a renewed thirst for the Word of God was expressed in Worship Service and Bible Study.
2006: Rev. Stephanie Mursorow was assigned to Mt. Carmel. Under the leadership of Rev. Murserow, Mt. Carmel purchased a 15 passenger van for travel to church sponsored events; a six-piece dining set and a flat screen television was also purchased for the parsonage.
2009: Annual Conference assigned our present pastor, Rev. Philip Blair, to Mt. Carmel. Pastor Blair is promoting unity in the church and we are progressing spiritually. Rev. Blair is holding classes for the officers of the church and is dedicated to making Mt. Carmel all that it can be in the name of the Lord. Under the leadership of Rev. Blair, Mt. Carmel has received a Hammond Organ which was donated by Brother Corbett Hankins.
2011: Rev. Edward Hansley became the fifty third pastor of Mt. Carmel AME Church.
September 20, 2014: Joint Commemorative Walk with Trinity United Methodist Church (UMC) Southport. The program was design to celebrate the 200th year anniversary of our church sanctuary which was built in 114 by Trinity UMC and has served as our church sanctuary from 1890 to present.
June 24, 2015: Hosted a “Community Prayer Vigil” for the nine victims of the Mother Emmanuel shooting in Charleston, SC.
June 26, 2015: Partnered with Kendall AME Church in transporting our church members to the funeral of Mother Emanuel AME Church shooting victim Rev. Dr. Clementa C. Pinckney. He was the church’s pastor and South Carolina State Senator and a previous member of the South Carolina House of Representatives.
May 2016: Rev. Ronald E. Davis became the 54th pastor of Mt. Carmel AME Church.
Under Rev. Davis’s leadership, Mt. Carmel has moved in a new direction. Under his vision Mt. Carmel became debt free before the end of his first year as our pastor. We paid in full and satisfied a loan which the church had for over 30 years. After the Promissory Note was satisfied, Rev. Davis initiated a church savings account, “Seeds for the Harvest” which is designed for the purpose of supporting the Central Treasury and/or church-related projects. With Rev. Davis as the Southern District Sons of Allen President, Mt. Carmel has hosted the “Broken Men Conference” and the men of the church have become active in the Sons of Allen ministry. Rev. Davis has incorporated an old-fashioned prayer meeting after Bible Study on Wednesday nights. Also, he has initiated the first Mt. Carmel AME Church Yuletide Extravaganza Banquet which will become an annual December fundraising event.
** An elaborate ceremony took place February 7, 1998, in Southport. Modern Civil War reenactors, representing both Confederate and Union troops, honored the memory and rededicated the graves of two veterans of that war: Abram Blount and Abraham Galloway. Blount, a 20-year-old formerly enslaved man from Hyde County, enlisted in the 37th Regiment United States Colored Troops (USCT) on December 10, 1863. In the final stages of the war, 18-year-old Galloway, born a slave in Smithville (now Southport), enlisted in the same regiment. When the war ended, both men settled in Smithville. Upon their deaths, each was buried there in John Smith Cemetery. (taken from article written by John H. Haley, PhD, for Tar Heel Junior Historian 50:2(spring 2011). Please note that both men were members of Mt. Carmel AME Church.
