11-02-2025
Huntingdon County church reflects on past during Black History Month
HUNTINGDON, Pa. (WTAJ) — A church in Huntingdon County is reflecting on its past during Black History Month. Payne Church, located on Moore Street in Huntingdon, has more than 100 years of history.
'This church has been around, I believe, since the 1850s. It was founded as part of the A.M.E denomination and was originally about a block away in an alley in the basement of what was the Oddfellows home. And then around the late 1880s, this piece of land was purchased and the building was erected,' Anthony Bullett, a member of the church, said.
Bullett is also the Chairman of the Huntingdon Juneteenth Committee. He said Payne Church is the only surviving church in the area with a historically African American convention.
'This is third generation Bullett in this church. You know, my grandfather was here. My father was very instrumental. Now, me. Just in fact, we just had a conversation the other night about influences in our life,' Bullett said.
The church was one of the influences.
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Sylvia Morris is the pastor at Payne Church. She's also the pastor of the Bethel A.M.E Church in Mount Union.
'Payne has been around. There were other predominantly black churches, African-American churches there, but they're no longer there. But Payne has stood the test of time,' Morris said.
The African Methodist Episcopal Church also played a role in helping to fight for the rights of others.
'AME church has been instrumental in all the social movements from abolition to the Underground Railroad. The Selma March for voting rights started at Brown Chapel A.M.E and Rosa Parks and the Montgomery bus boycott were heavily influenced by A.M.E. members,' Renita Greene, Reverend Doctor and Pastor of Bethel A.M.E Lewistown and Holy Trinity A.M.E. Church in Wilberforce said.
Huntingdon's Juneteenth celebration will be held on June 21 at Portstown Park from noon to 5 p.m.
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