[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 146 (Monday, September 11, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1193]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





  HONORING THE 130TH ANNIVERSARY OF FIRST AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL 
                                 CHURCH

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JUDY CHU

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 11, 2017

  Ms. JUDY CHU of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 
130th Anniversary of First African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in 
Pasadena, California, for their proud history and countless 
contributions to our community.
   Established in 1887, just one year after the founding of the City of 
Pasadena, First AME Church was organized at the home of Joseph Holmes, 
the first black settler in the city. The church became one of the first 
places where African Americans in the area could come together as a 
community. This was not without its challenges, as the small church 
faced hostility and opposition from their neighbors, forcing the 
congregation to move frequently before finally finding a long-term home 
in 1913.
   With this stability, First AME became a mainstay in the community 
and a catalyst for social change in Pasadena throughout the 20th 
Century. As a leader in the African American community's fight for 
racial equality, First AME was instrumental in efforts to desegregate 
Pasadena public schools, integrate the city's public workforce and main 
public pool, and in founding the Pasadena chapter of the National 
Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
   Today, First AME continues its proud tradition of service to the 
community--hosting events to feed the hungry, house the homeless, 
provide job training, and collect clothing for those in need, all while 
offering a safe place for congregants to come together in worship.
   On this momentous anniversary, I ask my colleagues to join me in 
congratulating First AME Church of Pasadena and its congregants for 130 
years of proud service to their congregants and community.

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