To spot the Green Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church, look for a gray stone-like building on the corner with tall, pointed stained-glass windows, textured concrete walls, and a small white entryway sheltered under a gabled roof.
Alright, you’re standing right outside the Green Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church-take in that textured stonework and the tower peeking up over Munjoy Hill’s rooftops! If this spot feels important, you’re absolutely right; you’re at the heart of a story filled with grit, celebration, and more than a few chicken dinners.
Let’s rewind. Picture the year 1888. All of Portland is buzzing because Union Station just opened, and one of the new arrivals is Moses Samuel Green, who stepped off the train with hope in his heart and maybe a few good shoe-polishing rags in his suitcase. Moses, born into slavery in Maryland, managed to leap life’s highest hurdles-he built a shoeshine stand, dived into real estate, and rose to become the wealthiest African American in the city, probably in all of Maine. The kind of rags-to-riches tale that makes fairy tales look lazy.
By 1891, Moses wasn’t just shining shoes-he was gathering people. Along with other African American Portlanders, he founded the A.M.E. Zion Mission, welcoming folks who’d come from far and wide looking for new beginnings. They didn’t have their own building back then-just borrowed corners in other churches. But by 1914, thanks to Moses’ business savvy, this concrete block beauty was built right here. In fact, the name ‘Green Memorial’ honors him-a tribute sewn right into Munjoy Hill’s fabric.
Flash forward to the mid-20th century and imagine the sidewalks buzzing with families-on their way to social events and Sunday choir practice-because this church became the living room of Portland’s Black community. It was the place for organizing civil rights campaigns and swapping job leads. On Thursdays, when most of the church’s members, many domestic workers, had their day off, something wonderful would happen: -the church’s legendary chicken dinners. Ticket sellers made sure every major employer in town bought a bundle for their employees, and Thursday dinners filled not just the church coffers but also the bellies and hearts of Portlanders.
You would've heard some real foot-tapping, too. In the 1920s, the all-woman Mis-Ter-Ray Club organized teas and dances right here, raising funds amidst the scent of fresh-brewed tea and the glide of dress shoes on a creaky floor. Musicians like Roland Hayes and Marian Anderson even stopped by-when the world came to Portland, this was where they performed.
It wasn’t all dinners and music; this church meant business when it came to justice. Reverend Stephen Gill Spottswood, one of its ministers, became a national force, eventually leading the NAACP and pushing for the Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill and desegregation. Some of the country’s major civil rights movements found roots right here, from meetings and marches to the spread of news and hope across Maine.
But the story lingers on. By 1973, the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In the 1990s, the church became the star in "Anchor of the Soul," a documentary that rightly dubbed it an anchor for Portland’s Black community through the 20th century. The word was out: Green Memorial wasn’t just a church-it was the pulse of a community. Imagine the excitement on the day they built a traditional West African canoe right outside for a community sailing event.
Today, under the guidance of Reverend Kenneth I. Lewis, whose résumé would make anyone dizzy, the church is alive with a vibrant, multiracial congregation. As the Reverend says, “Sunday is the most segregated day in the United States. But not at the corner of Monument and Sheridan.” And don’t forget the choir-renowned through Maine, their music has moved hearts at memorials and celebrations alike.
So next time you smell fried chicken, hear gospel music, or pass a friendly bulletin board announcing job openings-know that on this corner, the spirit of community isn’t just history, it’s tradition in action.
