12. Chicago’s Quinn Chapel AME Church
Quinn Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Chicago’s oldest Black congregation, served as both a spiritual and literal refuge. Established in 1844, it provided safe haven, resources, and information for freedom seekers transiting through the city en route to Canada or rural Illinois. The church’s role in the abolitionist movement is well-documented (quinnchicago.org). Its current building, completed in 1891, reflects the area’s late 19th-century character. For more information, visit the National Park Service’s page on Quinn Chapel AME Church.
