“I’m thankful for the legacy of those individuals who had the courage to be willing to start something in 1911,” said Pastor Marcus Allen, Sr.. “It’s the time when the lynching tree became more prevalent. Many Black people were just trying to make it in America. But I think also during that time, it was the start of the Great Migration as well. People were fleeing from the South and moving North because of the violence against Black bodies and the opportunities for more work. People were moving to Chicago and Milwaukee. I think that that is the importance of Mt. Zion too to the city of Madison. It was Mt. Zion and St. Paul AME Church. I don’t think another church came for 60 years. I’m grateful for those individuals who had the audacity to hope and also be intentional about building a worship space for people.”

And while there wasn’t a sign at the harness shop that said Black church, Madison also experienced segregation including restrictive covenants on land deeds. And so there were the Black and White churches.

“I’m sure it wasn’t Black people only,” Allen said. “But you know how it is with churches. They say there is no such thing, shouldn’t be a white church or black church. And so today, we’re still doing as Martin Luther King said, ‘11 o’clock on Sunday morning is the most segregated time of the week.’ And that’s with the Christian church. There’s no intention from that. Back in those days, people who lived in the community went to that church. But I don’t think it was African Americans who drew that line. That line was drawn by others during those times of segregation and times of the lynching tree. But these individuals saw a need for spiritual growth and development for individuals in the city of Madison. They built a church and they prayed and I can only imagine what they would say if they were here today, that their prayers have allowed Mt. Zion to become.”

Due to segregation, racism and discrimination, many Blacks could only developp themselves within the church.

“That’s something that Black people have always owned fully and solely, the Black Church,” Allen said. “And so we see oftentimes even now, we see the power struggle because of the risk when they weren’t able to lead on their jobs or in the community, they were able to lead at the church. And so we are thankful for the Black church that was forced upon us.”

And out of the Black Church — actually springing from the spirituals of the cotton fields during slavery — came many of the musical movements in America and the world during the 20^th Century.

“If you look at history, many performers at that time were able to learn an instrument, able to get in front of people and not be afraid and use their gift of talent,” Allen said. “We had a performance every week that they were able to do. And that led on to different things. A lot of things begin at church. And I think for us, people learn about teamwork, learn about public speaking. One of the most fearful things that most people totally hate is to get in front of people and speak. For us, in the Black church, we ask children to get in front of the church at the end of Vacation Bible School and tell everyone what they learned. At Easter, it’s our Easter speeches, standing in front of the church. Hopefully they remembered all of the words and pronounced the words correctly. All of that starts in the church for adults who grow up in church, how to be a team member, how to speak in front of people, how to take orders and listen and follow leadership. That starts in the Black church. It’s been foundational for a lot of people.”

And of course, it was the Black Church that was the pillar of the Civil Rights Movement, where Mass Meetings were held and from which much of the leadership came.

“Many of those leaders came from the Christian church,” Allen said. “Of course we have Malcolm X and others. But we have Medgar Evers, Fannie Lou Hamer and all those individuals, the Black church was very pivotal to the success of the Civil Rights Movement. They did everything including selling chicken and fish dinners to help with the budget. Some may not have looked at the church in the same way. And that’s sad on our part. It is my intentionality to keep that legacy alive and let people know how important the Black Church has been in these United States.”

And the Black Church played a pivotal role in Madison’s Civil Rights Movement.

”Dr. Richard Harris often speaks in his book about how Mt. Zion was the voice of the community when things were going awry, when schools were doing things to African American kids, when schools were about to close, it was the church that led the way and spoke up,” Allen said. “And that’s the thing that we are still doing today. I used to think that Rev. Wright served a long tenure at Mt. Zion. But I think his tenure was only about four years. But the reverence that so many people showed towards him speaks of the work that he was able to do not only at the church, but also in the community.”

As open housing laws were enforced and the elimination of redlining slowly happened, like other cities in the latter part of 20^th Century, African Americans were no longer confined to specific geographical locations and spread throughout the Madison metropolitan area. But many kept to their roots and continued to worship at Mt. Zion.

“Transportation is more available,” Allen said. “So now people can drive to any church that they want to go to. And now, they cannot only drive to any church want to, but they can go on their cell phones and watch any church that they want to. And so I’m thankful for Mt. Zion and it’s legacy and its longevity, that we’re still able to be a thriving church in this era where some are leaving the church. But a lot of young adults are coming to the church. Mt. Zion speaks to the spirituality of people who come to our church for help and hope. But it also speaks to the legacy of our being in the community, being engaged in the community.”

And the Black Church continues to be relevant to their needs.

“The relevance of the African American church is a place of hope, serving the God of the oppressed,” Allen said. “The church today is a hospital for the sick and a safe haven for the lost. And so our intentionality has been today a relevance to the younger generation. It’s how we are growing, how we are helping, but also how we are being intentional about not just Sunday morning, but also how we are helping people throughout the week. And so, we see so many churches — I’m not just talking about Mt. Zion — but if you look at many African American churches across the city, the church spirit is very intentional about helping the poor, helping the left behind. We have programs for kids who can’t read or programs for mental health. Those types of programs are what draws people to the church. It’s the relevance how we are really being intentional about meeting the needs that are filling some gaps that are community is is missing. That relevance there will show people that they can go to the church and get the spiritual help that they need, but also go and get some physical needs met also.”

And in a world dominated by social media, young people are returning to their religious roots as they seek a sense of community beyond the digital world.

“And so that speaks to this younger generation who are what I continue to see who are very intentional about sharing their faith and are very vocal about what they believe,” Allen said. “I’m the chaplain for the football team. And many of those players are unashamedly Christian. And they aren’t afraid to say to the world what they believe. If you watch the news conferences or listen to any post-game interviews, many of these young men are saying as they end, ‘I want to give praise to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.’ That’s very encouraging. But it’s also relevant to every age group because it’s still that place that you can come to and find friendship and community.”

And just like in 1911 when it was established, the Black Church still serves as a “home” for newly-arriving African Americans.

“The church becomes the family that you need when your family is not here,” Allen said. “Many people who live in Madison are not from here. They transfer in and so once their kids go to college, they don’t come back. And so older adults are still able to find family within the church. They are still able to find community where we are able to provide those leadership skills and development and helping others to become what they are trying to be. They are still able to make those connections that people may need. I think church life is very important for everyone.”

Next Issue: Mt. Zion’s Impact on the Community