The history of St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church covers more than eighty-two (82) years. Initially, no documents or land deeds were signed giving the property to the church trustees; it was acquired through Squatter’s Rights. At that time, once you remained on a spot of land for a certain number of years, you became the owner until someone staked a claim and purchased it. In later years, we learned the land was previously owned by Bailey & Bailey Company, and they permitted St. Paul A.M.E. Church to remain there and provided the deeds to us. St. Paul A.M.E. Church began as a branch of China Grove A.M.E. Church. Several members, Nancy Phillips, George Aldridge, Will Reese, Confort Smith, and others, moved into Madison. Other members joined them: March Bennett, Fannie Thompson Smothers, Austin Moore, Rosie Sampson, Missouri Cummings, Hester Peal, Amanda Smothers, Rufus Brown, Emma Basemore Lewis, Arthur Gray, and many more who were currently living in the Madison area. They started what is now known as St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church.

The early developments of the church began under a Brush Harbor, where the two big oak trees stood on the grounds of the first structure. The Brush Harbor was where the pastor would come and preach at the back of a horse-drawn wagon. Before the first wooden structure was built, services were held in the Madison Rosenwald School for several years. The school was located where Rosa Scott School is presently located.

In 1925, the first wooden structure of St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church was erected, containing a tall steeple with a bell inside it. Each Sunday, the Sunday School Superintendent would ring the bell before Sunday School began; the bell rang before a funeral or during a community emergency. Under the leadership of Bishop W.M. Bogkett and Reverend G. T. Billings, the first cornerstone was laid on November 1, 1925.

As time progressed, St. Paul A.M.E. Church experienced numeric growth in its membership, which consisted of adults and children. The Sunday School grew and consisted of two primary classes, two intermediate classes, one young adult class, and one adult class. The Young People’s Division (YPD) was organized and met on Sunday afternoons, while the Women’s Missionary Society met on Tuesday nights. Prayer meetings occurred the week before revival meetings to prepare the church, and revivalists were scheduled to come. Baptisms were held in Hawkins Pond, located behind the church and South of the police station. Each year, in June, we hosted Vacation Bible School, and all the children in the community were in attendance.

The first church began to experience structural damages, which caused the erection of the second church structure, which was built in 1968. Under the leadership of Bishop I.H. Banner and Reverend O.W. Woods, the cornerstone of the second church was laid on July 30, 1972. As time passed, most of the children who graduated from high school went to college, and this caused them to move away. Consequently, St. Paul A.M.E. Church’s membership diminished; however, the church continued to flourish and serve the community.

Throughout its history, St. Paul has been led by a circuit pastor who served several churches in the area, notably St. Paul, Bennett Chapel, and China Grove A.M.E. Churches. In 1958, a parsonage was built near the oak trees on the east side of the first church. Rev. J.R. Rosenthall and his family was the only pastor to live there during its existence. Later on, Rev. Rosenthall was assigned to another church, and the parsonage was rented to a family in the community. However, in deteriorating conditions, the house was torn down. As a result of community growth in the mid-eighties, the members of Bennett Chapel A.M.E. Church came to worship with the members at St. Paul A.M.E. Church, and in 1998, the two churches merged as one congregation. Several inspiring ministers led St. Paul A.M.E. Church: The Reverends G.T. Billings, O.W. Woods, G.S. James, Benjamin Phipps, Exclano, Lemesee, Dennis, and Love. J.R. Rosenthall, John H. Bennett, David Hudson, Ervin Harris, I.V. Berry, Andrew Stamps, Archie R. Smith, Robert Johnson, Nettie Ranel, Byram McKinzie, Percy Jones, Rebecca Johnson, and the present pastor, Dominic Boyd.

In 2000, due to population growth in the Madison area, a new highway was constructed where the second church structure was located on the corner of Crawford and Main Streets. St. Paul finalized the negotiation with the city of Madison and purchased nineteen acres where the current church is located at 816 Madison Avenue.