The Captain Charles Barham Chapter of the National Colonial Dames XVII Century recognized Quinn Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Paris, Tennessee, for 156 years of service of worship, justice, and liberation. The Colonial Dames XVII Century announced this was the first African American Church in the state of Tennessee and the United States of America.
The recognition included a historical marker placed on the church and a service of honor and appreciation. Persons, in addition to national representatives of the Colonial Dames XVII Century and the local chapter,represented various governmental organizations, the community, and the AME Church.
This historical award is noteworthy because to be a member of the organization; one must be a woman of eighteen years who is a lineal descendant of an ancestor who lived and served prior to 1701 in one of the Original Colonies in the United States.
The Thirteenth Episcopal District salutes the Rev. Dr. John Dandridge, Pastor, and members of Quinn Chapel AME Church for its consistent contribution to the Paris Community. In 2022, Quinn Chapel was honored for its inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.
The Reverend Otto Duncan, a former pastor of Quinn, provided a history of the Church. Quinn was known asa place of safety for Black soldiers during WWII who served at Camp Tyson and provided early education for African Americans who were denied education due to segregation. The Henry County Training School educated students from grades one through eight. The school was adjacent to the Quinn Chapel on land owned by the church. The Church within its walls provided an adult business school operated by and taught by the Rev. Dr. Herman W. Henning, who was also the pastor during the late 1940s. Mrs. Elizabeth Miller Henning also taught music to the community.
Other speakers at the ceremony included Chapter President Mary Ann Claxton, Bicentennial Committee Chair Carl Holder, Current Quinn Chapel Minister Rev. Dr. John Dandridge, and the Rt. Rev. E. Anne Henning-Byfield. Several officials with the Colonial Dames also spoke, including Carole Fields, President of the Tennessee Society, and Mary Stagg Johnston, Honorary President-General of the Tennessee State Society.
The Reverend Dr. John Dandridge concluded the service with thanksgiving and the declaration that the Church would continue to demonstrate the legacy of Bishop Richard Allen, founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The Reverend Janie Dowdy Dandridge, wife of Dr. Dandridge and pastor of Brown AME Church, pronounced the benediction.
