Trinity Christian Methodist Episcopal Church

Trinity Christian Methodist Episcopal (CME) Church is the first all-Black church, founded in Vermilionville. On May 3, 1872, former Governor Alexander Mouton donated the lot behind this church, at 315 Polk Street, to the CME Church of Vermilionville, for the purposes of “aiding in the promotion and morality among the [Black] population of the Parish”. The donated property was to be used exclusively for the erection of a church, parsonage or public school. The first church, a small, wood-frame building, was built on the lot shortly thereafter. In 1954, a Modern building was built on this adjacent property that was purchased by the church in 1883 for $100. This building is a fine example of Modern church architecture, with a form that directly relates to the function of the building. Other characteristics include geometric massing, simple unadorned finishes, and an emphasis on both horizontal and vertical geometry. The CME Church, was first organized on December 16, 1870, in Jackson, Tennessee by 41 former slaves. Composed primarily of African Americans, the CME Church is a branch of the Methodist Episcopal Church, a Wesleyan branch, established in America by Whites in 1784.