First African Methodist Episcopal Church, Seattle

The First African Methodist Episcopal (FAME) Church in Seattle grew from a small Sunday gathering to the Church building that is now located on 14th Avenue. When the church was first built, the street that is now 14th Avenue was called Jones Street. Historically FAME was known as the Jones Street Church.

In 1886, prominent African American Seattle resident, Seaborn J. Collins who later became the first African American to be elected to office in Kings County started a small Sunday school gathering. All African American Seattle residents were welcome at the gathering. As the congregation grew, an old house was purchased at 1522 Jones Street in 1890 to serve as parsonage and place of worship. When the premises required expansion to accommodate larger congregations, a new building, the present First African Methodist Episcopal Church was constructed in 1912. Two lots north of the church were purchased for future expansion and a separate parsonage was established.

The FAME church is the oldest house of prayer founded by African Americans in the Pacific Northwest and has grown from a small gathering of 17 deeply religious individuals to a congregation of over 2000 members. The church from its inception till today conducts social and religious programs to help and support people from all sections of society.