Peter Spencer
1782–1843 (age 61)
Religious Leader
Biography
Peter Spencer was born into slavery in 1782 but rose to become a religious visionary for African Americans in the early republic. He founded the African Union Church in 1813, providing worship and community for those denied full inclusion elsewhere and laying groundwork for later denominations.
He died in 1843 and is interred at the cemetery that now bears his name, where his spirit still inspires leaders who follow his call for dignity and communal care. Spencer's courage in the face of oppression keeps his legacy vibrant for generations.