Awards of Excellence:
St. Luke African Methodist Episcopal Church – Lawrence

Year(s) Listed:
City/Town:
Location Class:
Built: 1910 | Year Saved: N/A
Historic Designation: National Register of Historic Places (2005) African American Heritage Site
Awards:
Contributor: Kansas Preservation Alliance

The St. Luke African Methodist Episcopal Church, built in the style of 20th century ecclesiastical Gothic Revival Architecture, is an icon of Old East Lawrence. Constructed in 1910, this church has been an anchor in Lawrence’s African American community for 101 years. In particular, during times of racial discrimination and segregation in the early 20th century and as church members took part in 1950’s and 1960’s protest marches.

St. Luke was a pivotal influence in the young life of internationally acclaimed poet and writer Langston Hughes. He is quoted as saying “…I went to church and Sunday school…and I was very much moved, always by the…rhythms of the Negro church…of the spirituals…of the sermons…and when I began to write poetry, that influence came through.” He is also quoted as saying “The first church I remember is the A.M.E. Church on the corner of Ninth…and New York. That is where I went to Sunday School where I almost became converted, which I tell about in The Big Sea…my first autobiography.”

Hernly Associates along with Hughes Consulting Engineering, P.A. and KH Engineering Group and Wilcott Construction carried out structural stabilization of the roof structure and revealed the vaulted ceiling of the interior sanctuary.

Photo: St. Luke African Methodist Episcopal Church. (2022, May 25). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Luke_African_Methodist_Episcopal_Church

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