Mother Zion, as it is called, is the oldest Black church in New York State, founded in 1796 and charted in 1799 in lower Manhattan. During the years of the Underground Railroad, Mother Zion was referred to as a "Freedom Church" for its active participation in the network. The present Neo-Gothic church was completed in 1925. In the years of the Great Depression, Mother Zion continued its tradition of social activism and is still a leading voice in the New York community.

Gregory Robeson Smith, Ed. D., DMin, MBA Senior Pastor