Fellowship Hall

Hamilton’s oldest black church celebrates 175 years

Stewart Memorial plans year-long celebrations, major fundraiser

Lincoln Alexander is accompanied by fellow church members Vivienne Lewis, Ona Allen and Altair Morgan in cutting the cake to mark the start of celebrations marking the 175th anniversary of downtown Hamilton’s Stewart Memorial Church.

“The church’s history reflects the history of black people in Hamilton,” says Myrie, who is also a member at Stewart Memorial. “The church was founded by fugitive slaves in the early 1800s and throughout the generations opened its doors to people who often faced adversity in the wider community. It has been a place of community protest, a centre for solace, a light for leadership and a force for positive change.”

Special events will be held throughout 2010 to mark the anniversary. They include a  Homecoming Weekend from August 13-15 which will include a literary event featuring celebrated black writers (including Lawrence Hill, author of the bestselling The Book of Negroes); a street festival featuring an olde time gospel concert, and an “under the tent” outdoor church service. Other activities include the creation of a youth art project and the book launch of The Journey from Tollgate to Parkway: African Canadians in Hamilton  by Adrienne Shadd.

“Stewart Memorial has had a glorious history and we want to help ensure a strong healthy future for generations to come,” says Myrie. “The special events we have planned will allow us to celebrate the past and our $175,000 fundraising initiative will secure our future.”

Stewart Memorial Church was born in the early 1800s, the vision of a group of  fugitive slaves who escaped to Hamilton and a life of freedom.  It began as an African Methodist Episcopal Church (St. Paul’s as it was then known) in 1835 on Cathcart Street in Hamilton. In 1856, the church moved to Rebecca Street where a devastating fire destroyed the church in 1879. The church collected $1,300 in fire insurance and bought its present building at 114 John Street North for $2,500. The original clapboard church was remodelled in 1905 with a brick exterior and given a Gothic Revival-style facade.

In 1937, under the leadership of Rev. J.C. Holland, the congregation voted to sever its affiliation with the African Methodist Episcopal Church. At this time it was renamed Stewart Memorial Church, after one of its pastors, Rev. Claude A. Stewart.

Rev. John C. Holland, who served as  minister at Stewart Memorial beginning in 1936, was perhaps the most influential pastor at the church. He helped carry the church through the Depression years by setting up a trust fund to overcome the church’s debt.  Rev. Holland became the first black person to be named a “Citizen of the Year” in Canada. Other famous parishioners of the church include Ray Lewis, who won a bronze medal at the 1932 Olympic Games, and the Hon. Lincoln Alexander, the first black Lieutenant Governor of Ontario.

Rev. John C. Holland (1887-1954) with the Stewart Memorial Church choir.

Today Stewart Memorial is home to a base of about 200 members.

A fundraising initiative called “Are You In On 175?” seeks to attract support from 1,000 people who will each donate $175 and/or 175 businesses who will contribute $1,000 to help  the church reach its $175,000 goal. Donors will each receive a limited-edition print designed especially for the anniversary project.  Funds raised will provide improved accessibility (including  an elevator to assist the church’s aging members), church renovations, and help support the church’s youth leadership training program and community outreach programs.