We continue learning about the foundation of Black Methodists for this Black History Month. Jarena Lee heard God’s call—even when the church said "no." As the first Black woman ordained to preach in the AME Church, she blazed a trail for generations of women in ministry. Her story is one of faith, perseverance, and courage. Read more below.
As we continue our Black History Month series, we turn to The Rev. Jarena Lee, a trailblazer whose story challenges us to rethink who is called to preach the gospel. Like today unfortunately, both race and gender were barriers to leadership when Lee became the first Black woman ordained to preach in the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church. Her bold faith, unwavering determination, and groundbreaking ministry paved the way for generations of women in Methodism.
Born on February 11, 1783, in Cape May, New Jersey, Lee was the daughter of free Black parents. As a teenager, she moved to Philadelphia to work in domestic service. At age 21, she experienced a profound conversion and felt a divine call to preach. However, when she approached Bishop Richard Allen, founder of the AME Church, he denied her request, stating that the church’s Book of Discipline did not call for women preachers. Lee remained faithful, trusting that God’s call would make a way.
Eight years later, while attending a worship service, she was overcome by the Spirit and began exhorting (a kind of impromptu preaching) the congregation. Her words were so powerful that Bishop Allen publicly affirmed her call, leading to her ordination and making her the first woman authorized to preach in the AME Church. From that moment forward, Lee became an unstoppable force. She traveled thousands of miles on foot, often alone, preaching to both Black and white audiences at a time when doing so was dangerous for a Black woman.
In 1836, she became the first Black woman to publish an autobiography, Religious Experience and Journal of Mrs. Jarena Lee, ensuring that her story and witness would not be forgotten. Her legacy reminds us that the call to ministry is not confined by human limitations—God calls whom God wills. Straight, gay, black, white, cisgender, or transgender, God calls who God knows will make an impact. As Methodists today, we are challenged to ask: Are we creating space for all whom God calls, just as Jarena Lee did?