Historic Marker to Honor Black Civil War Veterans at St. Paul's Baptist

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After over a century, a group of Black Civil War veterans buried in Chester County, Pennsylvania will be honored at a public event on April 11 at St. Paul's Baptist Church. The event will celebrate the installation of a historical marker recognizing the Westtown Shiloh AME Church, one of the first African Methodist Episcopal churches in America, which had an integrated congregation before becoming an AME church when the white members moved away. The long-abandoned cemetery with over 100 buried congregation members, including veterans, will also be commemorated.

Why it matters

This event shines a light on an important piece of African American history in one of the nation's oldest counties, as part of the broader America 250 celebrations. The Westtown Shiloh AME Church was an early example of a racially integrated house of worship, making its history and the recognition of its buried Civil War veterans particularly significant.

The details

The public event at St. Paul's Baptist Church will feature speakers from the AME church organization and local dignitaries, as well as a choir, musicians, and a color guard of Civil War United States Colored Troops reenactors. A souvenir booklet will detail the history of the notable church and its many buried members.

• The event will take place on Saturday, April 11, 2026 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• The Westtown Shiloh AME Church dates back to 1817.