A Story of Leadership and Legacy
A visit to Shaffer Chapel AME Church reveals a history shaped by courage and care—from honoring community leaders to protecting lives in moments of crisis. It’s a story that continues to matter.
From left to right, the portraits feature Reverend Dorothea Norwood, Reverend J. F. Johnson, Bishop Cornelius Thaddeus Shaffer, and Bishop Richard Allen.
The display includes several notable portraits. Reverend Dorothea Norwood is recognized as the first woman to serve as pastor of the church. Reverend J. F. Johnson is remembered for retrieving the bodies of two men who were lynched in Marion, Indiana. Bishop Cornelius Thaddeus Shaffer is honored for his leadership and commitment to education and empowerment within the African American community. The final portrait features Bishop Richard Allen, one of the most influential Black leaders in American history. A writer, educator, and minister, he founded the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, the first independent Black denomination in the United States.
As noted, Reverend J. E. Johnson played a critical role following the lynching of Tom Shipp and Abe Smith in Marion, Indiana. The two men, who were being held in the Grant County jail while awaiting trial, were forcibly taken by a mob, beaten, and lynched on the courthouse lawn. Because there were no African American morticians in Marion at the time, Reverend J. E. Johnson took the risk of traveling there with his personal hearse to retrieve their bodies and bring them to Muncie for preparation and burial.
Rumors of further violence spread, including threats that a mob might attempt to seize and desecrate the bodies in Muncie. In response, members of the Whitely community came together to hold an all-night vigil to protect them. Our tour guide, Delores Bryer, a trustee of the church, shared that her father was among those who stood watch that night. Reverend Johnson was ultimately able to return the bodies to Marion for proper burial.
Shaffer Chapel has long served as a place of protection—both for its community and for the history it preserves. We extend our thanks to our Adult & Studio Programs Manager, Heather Jordan for organizing this visit, and to Shaffer Chapel AME Church for welcoming our team into its museum and sharing this important history.
This past April, a small group of staff from Minnetrista Museum & Gardens visited Shaffer Chapel AME Church. During the visit, we viewed a recently unveiled outdoor display and toured the church’s museum, which features a timeline of African American history in the United States. The Mantle of Leadership commemorates key figures whose leadership has shaped both the church’s history and its future.
