Beulah Methodist Episcopal Church / Parsonage

Beulah African Methodist Episcopal Church is one of many historic churches located on Main Street. Beulah is most known for their work and participation during the civil rights movement. Church officials played a vital role in the attempts to reopen public schools in Prince Edward County during the closings in the 1960’s. The white parsonage building located beside the church holds historic value due to its age and it is still used as a home for the current pastor.

The site of Beulah AME Church was bought by the trustees of the Colored Methodist Church of Farmville for $400 in 1868 where it was then organized under the Reverend Charles Brown. The building was later rebuilt at its current site under the tenure of Reverend M. Marshall. In 1898, the building caught fire destroying its original frame before being reconstructed again in 1901. The white parsonage alongside Beulah AME Church was bought under the administration of Reverend J.W. Beckett in 1896 to provide housing for the church’s pastor. It is the oldest home still standing on Main Street and the only residential building in the historic district. It is one of the last few remnants of the block being a more residential area.

Beulah AME Church has a long and rich history of relations with the civil rights movement. The church has played a vital role in advocating for the black community in Farmville and Prince Edward County. Some accomplishments include founding the first local NAACP chapter, securing jobs in the area for local African American teachers, and hosting several youth protests for equal school conditions. During the closing of Prince Edward County public schools in the 1960’s, Reverend A.I. Dunlap who was an associate of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., persuaded Bishop Frank Madison Reid to allow the 1960 class of the Robert R. Moton High School to continue their senior year at Kittrell College. Today, Beulah AME Church continues to be a pilar in the local community, providing support and advocacy for the silenced populations in Farmville.

Sources:

Virginia Department of Historical Resources, Preliminary Information Form. April 15, 2019.

Jimmy Hurt, Personal Interview by Alicia Griffith. Farmville, VA, November 13, 2019.

VDHR, Preliminary Information Form.