Brooklyn & Queens Heritage Sites
Allen AME Church, Queens
Brooklyn, NY
Houses on Hunterfly Road District
DESCRIPTION: Weeksville was founded here in 1827 as a free African American community shortly after the abolition of slavery in New York; it is now a National Historic Landmark; Susan McKinney-Stewart, New York’s first black female physician and Moses P Cobb, the first black policeman in Brooklyn’s 9th Ward were among luminaries who lived here; the remaining houses built between 1840 and 1883 have been/are being restored
ADDRESS: 1698, 1700, 1702, 1704, 1706 and 1708 Bergen Street
RAPID TRANSIT: A, C lines
Jackie Robinson School
DESCRIPTION: Jackie Roosevelt Robinson (1919-1972), the barrier-breaking baseball player, lived in a house at this National Historic Landmark, before the site was razed for this elementary school in his honor; he played a huge role leading the Brooklyn Dodgers to pennants in 1947, 1949, 1952, 1953 and a World Series Championship in 1955; after retiring from baseball Jackie became Chairman of the Board of Freedom National Bank in Harlem and was elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame in 1962
ADDRESS: 46 McKeever Place
RAPID TRANSIT: B, Q, S lines
Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church
DESCRIPTION: Founded 1848 and the oldest remaining church in Brooklyn founded solely by African-Americans; today they include Spanish and Creole sermons
SUNDAY WORSHIP: 8:30a
ADDRESS: 2530 Church Avenue
RAPID TRANSIT: 2, 5 lines
PHONE: 718-469-5900
WEBSITE: https://www.holycrossrcchurch.org
First AME Zion Church
DESCRIPTION: Founded 1885; this church remains a positive force in the community with Zion Academy and pre-school programs
SUNDAY WORSHIP: 11a
ADDRESS: 54 McDonough Street
RAPID TRANSIT: A, C lines
PHONE: 718-638-3343
WEBSITE: https://amezion.org/location/first-church/
Bridge Street AME Church
DESCRIPTION: Founded 1766 by a mixture of races; the church incorporated in 1818 when it began following the AME direction; boy and girl scouts, after school, senior community programs extend its reach well beyond its 2,000 member congregation
SUNDAY WORSHIP: 8a and 11a
ADDRESS: 277 Stuyvesant Avenue
RAPID TRANSIT: A, C lines
PHONE: 718-452-3936
WEBSITE: http://www.bridgestreetamechurch.org
First Baptist Church of Crown Heights
DESCRIPTION: A church known for inspirational sermons
SUNDAY WORSHIP: 10:30a
ADDRESS: 450 Eastern Parkway
RAPID TRANSIT: 2, 3, 4, 5 lines
PHONE: 718-778-1200
WEBSITE: http://firstbaptistcrownheights.org
Plymouth Church of the Pilgrim
DESCRIPTION: Considered by some to be the “Grand Central Station” of the Underground Railroad
SUNDAY WORSHIP: 11a
ADDRESS: 75 Hick Street
RAPID TRANSIT: 2, 3, A, C lines
PHONE: 718-624-4743
WEBSITE: http://www.plymouthchurch.org
Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church
DESCRIPTION: Founded in 1860 by abolitionists and a major Underground Railroad station; annual spring gospel concert, fall Jazz concert founded by pianist Eubie Blake and now organized by pianist Billy Taylor, and Kitchen Table: Women of Color Press, a publishing house
SUNDAY WORSHIP: 11a
ADDRESS: 85 South Oxford Street
RAPID TRANSIT: G, C lines
PHONE: 718-625-7515
WEBSITE: http://www.lapcbrooklyn.org
Queens, NY
Allen AME Church
DESCRIPTION: Former U.S. Congressman and pastor, Floyd Flake, practically wrote the book on how to lead a congregation and community to economic empowerment and revitalization through this church
SUNDAY WORSHIP: 6:30a, 8:30a, 11a
ADDRESS: 111-54 Merrick Blvd
RAPID TRANSIT: none
PHONE: 718-526-3510
WEBSITE: http://www.allencathedral.org
Louie Armstrong Residence
DESCRIPTION: Satchmo’s home from 1940 to 1971 when his music helped vault jazz into the nation’s mainstream culture; this restored red-brick home is designated a National Historic Landmark; no visitors
ADDRESS: 3456 107th Street
RAPID TRANSIT: 7 line
Malcolm X Residence
DESCRIPTION: Malcolm X (el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz) moved his family to this seven-room house in July 1960; it was owned by the Nation of Islam. Following his break with the NOI in March 1964, the NOI ordered him to surrender his home and car. He resisted their eviction notice. On 14 February 1965, the residence was firebombed. On 18 February, the Shabazz Family was evicted by police. Today, it is a private residence.
ADDRESS: 23-11 97th Street
RAPID TRANSIT: none