The Texas Historical Commission and the Dallas County Historical Association unveiled a new historic marker for St. Paul United Methodist Church last week.
“We are certainly proud of our history and the staying power of those who came before us. Most organizations have moved on in this community. We believe God has a plan for St. Paul that is affirmed in the Texas Historic Commission’s decision to preserve this historical edifice. We are heirs to a great legacy at St. Paul, but I believe God has greater plans for not just this Church but for what it represents for Downtown, Uptown, the Dallas Arts District – quite frankly all points of Dallasm” according to Senior Pastor Richie L. Butler.
The program included presentation of proclamations by Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, Mayor Mike Rawlins, Judge Clay Jenkins and Texas Senator Royce West, Video presentation from St. Paul United Methodist Church Senior Pastor Richie L. Butler, greetings and remarks from Rev. Elzie Odom Jr., Bishop Mike McKee, Macy Mays-Roberson, and Dallas County Historical Commission Chair Dr. Don Baynham.
Located in Dallas’ Arts District, originally “Freedman’s Town,” St. Paul United Methodist Church has served a significant role in Dallas’ religious, cultural and social identity. First organized in 1873, the current church was completed in 1927.
St. Paul served as the first school in Dallas for black children, and several of these students became prominent residents of Dallas, including George Shirley and T.D. Marshall. One of the earliest African American churches in Dallas, it was one of few large places that African Americans could meet and served as a focal point for culture, civil rights and an incubator for political, business and cultural talent.
