St. Luke's Episcopal Church (Washington, D.C.)

St. Luke's Episcopal Church Washington, D.C.
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark
St. Luke's Episcopal Church
Location	1514 15th Street,N.W. Washington, D.C.
Coordinates	38°54′37″N 77°2′5″W / 38.91028°N 77.03472°WCoordinates: 38°54′37″N 77°2′5″W / 38.91028°N 77.03472°W
Built	1876-1880
NRHP Reference #	76002131
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	May 11, 1976[1]
Designated NHL	May 11, 1976[2]

St. Luke's Episcopal Church is a historic Episcopal church located at 1514 15th Street,N.W., in Washington, D.C.. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and further was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1976.^[2][3]

History

In 1875, some members of St. Mary's Chapel for Colored People in Foggy Bottom and their rector, the Rev. Alexander Crummell of New York City, left St. Mary's to found St. Luke's as the first independent black Episcopal church in Washington. St. Luke's was chartered as a Colored Episcopal Mission. Its neighborhood of Columbia Heights had numerous black families. Calvin T. S. Brent, generally considered to be Washington's first black architect, designed the church after an Anglican church in Coventry, England. Construction on the church began in 1876 and was completed in 1880.

The first service was held on Thanksgiving Day 1879. Alexander Crummell served as rector until his retirement in 1894.^[4]

National Register listing

• St. Luke's Episcopal Church *** (added 1976 - Building - #76002131)
• 15th and Church Sts., NW, Washington
• Historic Significance: Person
• Historic Person: Crummell,Alexander
• Significant Year: 1876, 1898
• Area of Significance: Social History, Education, Black, Literature
• Period of Significance: 1875-1899
• Owner: Private
• Historic Function: Religion
• Historic Sub-function: Religious Structure
• Current Function: Religion
• Current Sub-function: Religious Structure

Present status

St. Luke's continues as an active parish in the Episcopal Diocese of Washington. As of 2012, the Priest-in-Charge is the Rev. Ray D. Massenburg; .^[5]

See also

• Alexander Crummell
• List of Registered Historic Places in the District of Columbia
• St. Luke's Church (disambiguation)
• Black church

Sources

• Library of Congress American Memory, which does not permit direct links: A search for "St. Luke's" will pull up a long list which will include St Luke's Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C.

References

1. Staff (2007-01-23). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
2. "St. Luke's Episcopal Church". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Retrieved 2009-09-04.
3. ____ (, 19). National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: _____ (pdf). National Park Service. Check date values in: |date= (help) and Accompanying ____ photos, exterior and interior, from 19___ PDF (32 KB)
4. "St. Luke's Episcopal Church", African American Heritage Trail
5. "Clergy", St. Luke's Website

External links

• St. Luke's website
• Diocesan Listing for St. Luke's Episcopal Church
• Alexander Crummell, 1994 Episcopal Calendar
• "St. Luke's Episcopal Church", African American Heritage Trail Register of Historic Places