Staten Island · NYC landmark
Rossville A.M.E. Zion Church
584 Bloomindale Road · Staten Island, New York City
Learn about Sandy Ground's free Black community at a surviving church whose congregation grew from local prayer meetings and oyster-working families.
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NYFE Summary
Sandy Ground grew as free Black families bought land, farmed and worked in the oyster trade. Some came from Maryland after laws there restricted their livelihoods. William H. Pitts began prayer meetings in his home, and residents formed the congregation in 1850.
The church became a center for worship and social gatherings as the community grew. Its ministers included abolitionist Thomas James and suffragist Florence Spearing Randolph. Descendants of the early families still belong to the congregation, linking the building to a continuing community.
NYFE summary from the official history and visitor sources linked below.
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Check the operator’s current opening, admission and access information before travelling. Historic status does not guarantee public access to every interior.
Official visitor information ↗