On this episode of Our American Stories, Richard Allen was born into slavery in colonial America and went on to become one of the most influential religious leaders of the early United States. After purchasing his freedom, Allen became a successful entrepreneur, a powerful preacher, and the founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. His stature was such that he was chosen to deliver the eulogy for George Washington, a moment that revealed both his influence and the contradictions of the young nation. Historian Richard Newman of Rochester Institute of Technology shares the remarkable life of Richard Allen, drawing on decades of research and his book Freedom’s Prophet.

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