Asbury Methodist Church
Asbury Methodist Church was the site of the second Freedmen’s Bureau School in Natchitoches, the first school founded by African Americans themselves. The church’s first pastor, Reverend Ebenezer Hayward, served as the teacher for the school.
This church was established by former slaves living in the town. A description of their early activities appeared in the local newspaper, the Semi-Weekly Times, on 29 September 1866:
It is gratifying to know that the freedmen of this town and vicinity are taking the proper steps to improve and elevate their race. They have already purchased a lot on which they are about to build a commodious church. Mr. Heywood [sic], their clergyman, in connexion [sic] with the Methodist Church is, we learn, doing good service in his ministrations. They have also formed an association, already having more than a hundred members, to relieve the sick and indigent, each member paying one dollar on admission and a monthly contribution of a quarter of a dollar. They are generally sending their children to school, and we are somewhat surprised at the progress many of the pupils are making in acquiring the elements of knowledge.
The same newspaper announced on 12 December 1866:
The missionary society of the Methodist Episcopal Society having its domicil [sic] in New York, has appropriated, for next year, a million of dollars [sic] to aid in the erection of school houses and churches for the colored population. The Society in this town under the pastoral charge of Mr. Haywood [sic] is to receive $2000, to aid in the erection of their church and school house on their lot, recently purchased at the Corner of St. Denis and 5th Street.
The church was an important center for the promotion of equal rights, even in the 19th century. One of the congregants, Alfred Hazen, was murdered in 1868 for his efforts to promote voter registration among African Americans (Martin 2001:67). Asbury continued to play an important role in Civil Rights activities in the 20th century.
The churches – you had First Baptist, North, First Baptist, Amulet … Asbury, and maybe several other churches – but their role was to get the information that needed to be gotten and disseminate this with our congregation. And then the Voters League was the key to all of the activities for the Black community.
The Asbury church that stands today was built in the 1950s. The church and its congregation remain an important part of the African American community in Natchitoches.
Fifth Street was the Crowning Glory of the Black Community of yesteryear for on it stood the Asbury Church, the original site of the Plumb Line, the John Gideon Lewis, Sr., family residence, the home/business of Dr. and Mrs. E. A. Johnson, the St. Anthony Church and Catholic Elementary School, and the Dawn of Light Lodge #22 Masonic Hall. - Edward Ward
Old and new Asbury Methodist Churches and congregation, ca. 1950s, Guillet Collection, n.d., #6515