Venue Information

In the early 1870s, a group of Black Episcopalians gathered together with the assistance of Rev. Fr. Peter William Cassey to form a new church. This group became known as Christ Mission, and services were held in Youngmen’s Hall on Pacific Street in the City.

Thirty years after the closure of Christ Mission, the remaining church members and their families renewed their quest for a church to meet their needs. With the assistance and guidance of Rev. Fr. David Wallace, and the sponsorship of Oakland’s St. Augustine’s Church, the families started a San Francisco Guild.

With the completion of the Panama Canal in 1914, laborers from the project began moving to San Francisco. Many of these migrants were Anglicans of West Indian origin, and they soon met African American Episcopalians who had also migrated to the City by the Bay. The two groups joined forces to work toward a common goal: their own Episcopal church in San Francisco. During the celebration of ...