Ramsey and Moore Sts., Fayetteville, North Carolina. County/parish: Cumberland.
Added to the National Register of Historic Places June 01, 1982. NRIS 82003447.
3 contributing buildings.
St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church is a historic Black Episcopal church complex located in Fayetteville, Cumberland County, North Carolina. Chartered in 1873, it is the second-oldest Episcopal congregation in Fayetteville. The historic church building, located at the corner of Ramsey and Moore Streets, was constructed in 1896. It is a low, shingled, Queen Anne–style frame church incorporating English Gothic and Spanish architectural accents. Notable features include a three-part stained-glass window, a deeply projecting semi-octagonal chancel, and a steeply pitched main roof with exposed rafters. Also contributing to the historic character of the property are the Parish House and the Parsonage.
Beyond its architectural significance, St. Joseph’s has played a vital role in the educational and civil rights history of Fayetteville’s African American community. In its early years, the church served as a school for African American children at a time when educational opportunities were severely limited by segregation. The church also functioned as an important meeting place for the NAACP during the early twentieth century and was a hub for organizing and civic engagement. Prominent African American leaders, including W. E. B. Du Bois, visited St. Joseph’s in the 1920s and participated in or supported NAACP meetings held there.
St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. As of 2023, the Rev. Dr. Skip Walker serves as Priest-in-Charge of St. Joseph’s.
(read more...)National Park Service documentation: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/47719816