St. John’s AME Church was formed in 1840 as a mission for enslaved and free Black people and was formally accepted into the AME connection in 1864. From its congregation’s formation, St. John’s was a prolific force in the education and civic mobilization of Black Americans, hosting and providing leadership for the Coan School—Norfolk’s first formal center for Black education–and gathering over one thousand Black Americans on their property to cast their first ballots in 1864. In 1908, St. John’s hosted the General Council of the AME Church, solidifying a role of national prominence within the denomination. The church’s current 1888 Romanesque Revival sanctuary building was designed by prominent local architect Charles M. Cassell. The brick building features asymmetrical towers, an ornate stone entrance portico, and a steeply pitched slate roof. The church was the first monumental building constructed by a Black congregation in Norfolk and remains Charles M. Cassell’s last extant building in the city.

St. John’s is dedicated to serving its community through its monthly food pantry, historical research, and its strong web of partnerships with local nonprofits. Each month, St. John’s provides approximately sixty families with groceries and necessary items. Distribution days are paired with voter registration drives, health screenings, and social services counseling, supporting the overall health and civic engagement of the surrounding community. In addition, St. John’s partners with Crestar Health to operate a youth tutoring service that combines academic support and mental health counseling, and has hosted researchers from William & Mary University to utilize the church’s archives.

A National Fund grant of $163,920 matched with $163,920 raised by the congregation will support a full roof replacement, allowing the congregation to return to worship services in the historic building.

Photo by Gee Bryant/Executive Photography