| Address | 4100 S. Drive Martin Luther King Jr Drive, Chicago, IL |
|---|---|
| Built | 1890 |
| Architect | John Turner Long; 1913 main sanctuary alterations, Charles S. Frost |
| Status | Designated Chicago Landmark |
| Designation Date | July 19, 2007 (Final)City Council Journal of the Proceedings, p. 4440 |
| Neighborhood | Grand Boulevard |
| Type | Place of worship |
| Landmark ID | L-39 |
Interior spaces protected by this designation
- The interior main sanctuary.
Not covered by the designation
- The 1913 Sunday school and gymnasium addition and adjacent parsonage buildings are not included in this designation.
Metropolitan Apostolic Community Church Building, Preliminary Landmark Recommendation, p. 29.
Direct quotes from the Chicago Landmark Designation Report
“Begun in 1831, its strong massing, round arches and simple ornament made it less ostentatious than its Gothic Revival-style counterpart. The first-recorded religious structure in the Romanesque Revival style was the Church of the Pilgrims, a Congregational church in Brooklyn Heights, NY, completed in 1846 by English-born architect Richard Upjohn.”
“Jones, a tailor of mixed free-black and white parentage, was supported by both African-Americans and whites and was the first African-American to hold elected office in Illinois. The site of the John and Mary Jones home in the South Loop is a Chicago Landmark.”
“The Metropolitan Apostolic Community Church Building exemplifies the important role that churches and other religious institutions played in the history and development of Chicago's neighborhoods in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.”
“From the time of its purchase in 1927, the Metropolitan Apostolic Community Church Building has served as a home to many African-American labor unions, social clubs and civil rights organizations and related events; most notably, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, founded by A. Philip Randolph, met regularly at the church.”
“Coinciding with Mrs. Stone's Sunday school, the Presbyterian League of Chicago operated a small mission at the corner of 41st St. and Prairie Ave., funded by the First Presbyterian Church located at Indiana Ave. and 21st St.”
“In 1912, after thoroughly accounting for their assets with the Presbytery of Chicago, First Presbyterian Church was allowed to consolidate its congregation with that of the 41st Street Presbyterian Church, transferring all orders of business to the Grand Boulevard location.”
“Throughout its history, the membership rolls of the Metropolitan Community Church contained many of Chicago's prominent African-American leaders, including journalist and activist Ida B. Wells-Barnett; Chicago Defender founder Robert S. Abbott; and Illinois Poet Laureate Gwendolyn Brooks.”
“The Metropolitan Apostolic Community Church Building was the venue for a variety of speakers, performances and guests. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, outspoken in her socially-controversial views on civil rights, spoke at the Metropolitan against racial segregation in the military during World War II, invited by educator and activist Mary McLeod Bethune.”
“Drive (formerly Grand Boulevard), it was originally built in 1890 for the 41st Street Presbyterian Church and is an outstanding example of Romanesque Revival church architecture. The building is the work of Chicago architect John Turner Long, known for his churches and school buildings in Evanston and many South Side neighborhoods.”
“In 2003, the building was purchased by Rev. Leon Finney, Jr. and the congregation of the Christ Apostolic Church. Out of deference to Metropolitan's illustrious contribution to the African-American community, the church changed its name to the Metropolitan Apostolic Community Church.”