Philadelphia Renames Street to Honor AME Church Founder Richard Allen

Philadelphia officials held a ceremony on October 7, 2026, to officially rename a section of Lombard Street as "Bishop Richard Allen Way." The designated area, located between 6th and 7th Streets, sits adjacent to the historic Mother Bethel AME Church, which Allen founded. The Philadelphia City Council passed a resolution in June to honor the clergyman, describing him as a "Black founding father" and a "prophet of freedom and justice."

Bishop Samuel Lawrence Green Sr. of the AME Church's First Episcopal District spoke at the event, framing Allen’s legacy as a commitment to freedom, equality, and unity. Born into slavery in 1760, Allen became a Methodist before establishing the AME Church in 1816 to address racial prejudice within existing denominations. Beyond his ecclesiastical leadership, Allen was recognized for his humanitarian efforts, including his work with the Free African Society to assist residents during the 1793 yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia.