Richard Allen was a prominent African American preacher and activist who is best known for founding the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, one of the first independent Black denominations in the United States. Born into slavery in Philadelphia in 1760, Allen eventually purchased his freedom and became a noted religious leader in the Philadelphia area.

In 1787, Allen and Absalom Jones, another Black preacher, led a successful protest against the segregation of Black worshippers at St. George's Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia. This event eventually led to the founding of the Free African Society, a mutual aid organization for Black people in the city.

In 1816, Richard Allen and other Black Methodist leaders organized the first general convention of the AME Church, officially establishing it as a separate denomination. Allen was elected as the first bishop of the AME Church, and he worked tirelessly to build and expand the church, which played a central role in the African American community and the fight for civil rights.

Richard Allen's legacy as a religious leader, community organizer, and advocate for social justice has had a lasting impact on the history of Black Americans and the development of independent Black institutions in the United States.