HONORING ST. MARY AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

On 2026-10-13, Representative Cleo Fields (D-LA-6) delivered a floor speech titled "HONORING ST. MARY AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH" in the House.

HONORING ST. MARY AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 160 (Tuesday, October 13, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 160 (Tuesday, October 13, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E1075] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING ST. MARY AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH ______ HON. CLEO FIELDS of louisiana in the house of representatives Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Mr. FIELDS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge St. Mary African Methodist Episcopal Church in Shreveport, Louisiana, a congregation whose history dates back to 1911 on Harts Island. The founders formally organized the church in 1912 in a three-room house on Freewater Street, then known by the congregation as City Hopewell. From the prayer meeting union formed within that small home, St. Mary A.M.E. Church emerged, guided by a devoted group of Christians and inspired by visiting ministers who recognized the congregation's need for a permanent place of worship. Among those present at the church's organization were Sister Carrie Jones, Brother Robert Knuckles, Brother Charlie Knuckles, Brother George Knuckles, Sister Ella Knuckles, Brother Kunt Holt, Sister Pearl Holt, Brother Elder Williams, Sister Sissy Washington, Brother Gus Campbell, the Houston family, and the pastor, Rev. George Jones. Under the pastorate of Rev. Jim Brown, the congregation received encouragement that strengthened its determination to press forward in faith. As the church grew, the Board of Trustees purchased a site at 1654 Rex Street and erected a frame structure for worship. Seeking a more suitable location, the congregation later sold that property and moved the church to 1603 Rex Street under the pastorate of Rev. E.D. Wilson. While workers relocated the structure, services were held in the old Stoner Hill School. Over subsequent years, St. Mary continued improving its building through the leadership of dedicated pastors, including Rev. W.L. Debro, Rev. F.D. Murray, and Rev. T.H. Terry. Major improvements took place under Rev. Earl A. James, who led the first major renovation and encouraged members to honor past family members by purchasing shrubbery in their memory. The church also served the community through operating a day care center and hosting Project Head Start when organizers launched the program in 1965. Rev. Willie B. Johnson later led the second major renovation, including the present interior design of St. Mary, completed in February 1995. Under his leadership, the church also purchased the lot across the street. Additional improvements were made under Rev. Robert Shadrack Boyd and Rev. Cynthia Harris, including demolition of the dilapidated parsonage. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring St. Mary African Methodist Episcopal Church for more than one hundred years of worship, service, leadership, and resilience within the Shreveport community. Sustained by faith and strengthened by generations of dedicated members, St. Mary continues its mission of glorifying God and doing good for Shreveport as it enters its second century of ministry. ____________________