Bishop Asbury (1745-1816)
Transatlantic abolitionist

Francis Asbury grew up in Great Barr. All Saints Church in West Bromwich provided Francis Asbury with his earliest theological training. The local preacher became the first bishop of American Methodism. African Americans like Henry Hoosier and Richard Allen, founder of the first Bethel African Episcopal Methodist Church, worked with him. Asbury opposed separate worship by white people, and petitioned George Washington to abolish slavery. John Wesley wanted to save Christianity and its followers having the stain of slavery on their souls

Francis Asbury

Richard Allen

Early methodists anti slavery outlook led Bishop Francis Asbury to recruit and convert enslaved Africans in America. Significantly this stance threw up important figures in the development of the African American Church. Asbury recruited Henry Hoosier and Richard Allen to his cause. Like Asbury they travelled the countryside on horse back, as 'outriders' and circuit preachers went to the countryside and sought to bring African Americans to Methodism.

Henry Hoosier developed such speaking skills to become known as 'the greatest preacher' and people with that gift were called 'Hoosiers'. Asbury ordained Richard Allen who founded the first African Bethel Episcopal church. The Church continues to flourish and has a global reach, and influences the course of life in America today.

Asbury is an important figure in America. Monuments and schools encourage and teach the ideals he stood for. In Sandwell we have a school, a tavern and a road in his name. Asbury Cottage is a recognized landmark building and place of pilgrimage by Methodists, locally, nationally and internationally. The first known American tourists were Methodist clergy John Emory (1824) and Wilbur Fisk (1836), both of whom went on to become Bishops.