What are the origins/history of African-American Mennonites?
African-American Mennonite History The Mennonite Brethren denomination was among the first known to begin work among people of African-American origin, in a mining community of Elk Park, N.C. in 1886. The Mennonite Church baptized its first black members in 1897 in Cocolamus, Pa. James Lark, the first black Mennonite bishop (ordained as minister 1945, and bishop 1954, Chicago, Ill.), had a vision for reaching people of African-American origin. He saw the church pouring its resources into overseas mission, and encouraged the church to greater effort in urban ministry in the U.S. His wife, Rowena, was an important partner in their outreach, as she was a gifted soloist and children’s storyteller. James’ first contacts with Mennonites were at the Rocky Ridge Mennonite meetinghouse near Quakertown, Pa. The Lark vision helped start churches in black communities in Sarasota, Florida; Youngstown, Ohio; Saginaw, Michigan; and Los Angeles, California, all of which became early communities of bla
