After the Civil War, many former African slaves on Plantations in North Carolina, immigrated to Santa Barbara, California for work. They were welcomed here, and started a Church, St. Paul's African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1905. It will soon become a city Historical Landmark.
In the Montecito Journal, there is a feature story,"The Way It Was," by Hattie Beresford. She tells the story of St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church and the black female angel mural painted by Lilia Tuckerman. July 30, 2020. When the mural was dedicated at St. Paul's in 1938, Rector Ralph R. King, pastor of the church said these words:
"We dedicate this picture to the healing of life's discords, and the revealing of the hidden soul of harmony, to the lifting of the depressed and the comforting of the sorrowing; to the humbling of the heart before the eternal mysteries, and the lifting of the soul to abiding beauty and joy by the gospel in infinite love and good will."
Rev. King's wife, Mrs. Mary King, was the model for the center angel, and the gold cross of Jesus Christ is behind her and the other black angels who guard over St. Paul's to this day. The Church is known for its spirituals, gospel preaching, and love. All people are welcome at St Paul's. Services at 11 am Sundays.
The Montecito Journal — "The Way It Was" PART II
St Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church &
The Black Angel Painting by Lilia Tuckerman
by Hattie Beresford
"The Incredible Jerry Forney" Story
First black resident of Santa Barbara
"Regarded as Santa Barbara’s first black resident when he was brought here as a slave in 1881, Forney refused to return to North Carolina with his master and instead drew up a plan to bring 500 slaves from that state to his new town. He eventually settled down into a house at Mason and Anacapa streets.That is the spirit that lives in our Santa Barbara Black community." Read more about the history of Santa Barbara in the Montecito Journal on pages 18-19...
The Montecito Journal — "The Way It Was" PART I
by Hattie Beresford
"The Way It Was" Part I by Hattie Beresford (pgs18-19)
The Mississippi Mass Choir — "Lord You're Holy"
Additional Resources
"How African-Americans Helped Shape Modern Life on the American Riviera"
Santa Barbara’s African-American population was actively engaged in civic planning and politics as far back as 1926. That’s the year that many of the town’s black leaders posed outside of this house with none other than Pearl Chase (third from right, on porch), considered to be the mother of the American Riviera’s look. Courtesy UCSB Library Special Research Collections
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