The history of Black Rock AME is closely linked with the early story of Independence Methodist, whose roots reach back to the late 1700s. The site, once known as Independence Campground, began as a meeting place for all denominations before becoming Methodist in the 1830s. Many enslaved African Americans worshipped at Independence in those years.

Following the Civil War, the original church building was sold in 1870 to the African American congregants, who moved it a short distance to land donated by John S. Poole. At that time, the church was renamed Black Rock AME. Nearly 150 years later, the congregation continues to thrive.

A historical marker at Independence Methodist captures this early story:

“In the beginning, the church was built for all denominations, and perhaps the name Independence was chosen as a result. There is another school of thought that the name stemmed from our recent victory in the Revolutionary War and the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783. Either way, some sort of dispute arose in the 1830s and, as a result, the Methodists claimed the church. This claim was disputed and taken to court, where the Methodists were represented by noted Wilkes County lawyer Robert Toombs. The Methodists prevailed and the church has been Methodist ever since.”

In 1840, Thomas L. Wootten deeded the lot for Independence. After the war, when the building passed into Black ownership, the congregation established Black Rock AME. Across the road, a new Methodist church was erected in 1871 and dedicated by Bishop George F. Pierce. That same site later hosted a Sunday school celebration in 1879, attended by nearly 1,000 people and presided over by Dr. A. G. Haygood, president of Emory College.

Black Rock AME stands today as both a spiritual home and a powerful reminder of the resilience and determination of Georgia’s African American communities in the post–Civil War era.