Metropolitan AME Church

Central Harlem

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Rev. Darnell Montgomery, Pastor

Evenings of fellowship. Contemporary worship & praise with a relevant word. A 90-minute life changing experience. Host minister, Rev. Kahlil G. James. Doors open at 6:30 pm. Worship begins at 7:00 pm.

Formerly the Lincoln Theater:
The Lincoln served as a cinema in the 1940s and 50s, but may have had a larger seating capacity when originally presenting vaudeville and plays. Press articles indicate that the Lincoln first opened in 1915 and was the first theatre in Harlem (then a predominantly white neighborhood) to cater exclusively to a black clientele.

The Lincoln had its own stock company of black actors, but earned its greatest fame in the 1920s, when it presented black vaudeville, including such headliners as Bessie Smith, Florence Mills, and Ethel Waters. For a time, the very young Fats Waller was its resident organist.

Since the 1960s, the Lincoln has been home for the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church. Although there have been decorative changes, much of the structure remains intact... "A sturdy rectangular proscenium, richly brocaded in lovely floral patterns, dominates the front interior. Best of all, the theater's boxes were never removed, and their gentle, curving lines add delicacy to a space that appears larger than it really is". - Cinema Treasures

Sites & Attractions: Churches Sites & Attractions Central Harlem