Church as Community: St. Augustine's on the Lower East Side

By Kate Brenner

This installation is a part of Then, Now, Next: Oral History for Social Change, OHMA's multimedia interactive popup exhibition of stories, which will take place at the Refectory at Union Theological Seminary on April 29, 2015.

Used with permission of Trinity Church Archives.

The recorded history of the Lower East Side does not include African Americans. Their only presence has been through the Slave Galleries that remain in St. Augustine's Episcopal Church. In addition to being a historical landmark, the church itself has served as a focal point for the creation of a small but vibrant African American community. Immerse yourself in memories of life at the church, from Friday night dances to negotiating gang issues.