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The Mount Vernon First Congregational Church has a long history of standing up for justice, a tradition that continues today. To commemorate the church’s involvement in the early anti-slavery movement, a monument is being dedicated Oct. 3.
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The monument is a stone bench that sits just outside the church. Once the MVFCC hosted an anti-slavery meeting as a distraction while a wagon load of escaping slaves was led north through the area.
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According to legend, the sanctuary of the church was built on the second floor to protect the congregation from racists who used to pelt their first church with rocks and eggs.
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Stained glass windows in the church’s sanctuary were installed in 1895. The windows were very challenging to racist attitudes of the day, portraying the prophet Elijah and King David as black men.
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A closeup of the prophet Elijah as portrayed in the stained glass window of the MVFCC. The legend under one of the windows reads “In memory of the founders of this church and their anti-slavery friends.”
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The King David window. One wonders if the strumming hand of David’s lyre pointing north was a subtle salute to the northward trek of escaping slaves on the Underground Railroad.
GALLERY: Monument to Underground Railroad in Mount Vernon
