1787 – The Founding of the Free African Society

On May 12, 1787, Richard Allen and Absalom Jones founded the Free African Society in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was the first Black mutual aid society in the United States. Born out of religious and racial exclusion, the society offered spiritual guidance, financial aid, and burial assistance to free and formerly enslaved African Americans. It laid the foundation for independent Black churches and inspired future Black-led organizations dedicated to self-help and civil rights. Both founders would go on to establish major Black churches—Allen founded the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, and Jones became the first African American Episcopal priest. This early act of organizing by free Blacks was not only an act of resistance against racism but also a visionary step toward building institutions for Black autonomy.