44-Cornerstones of Freedom

As four million formerly enslaved men and women seized the opportunities of freedom, the congregation of Lakeside Methodist Episcopal Church shaped the development of the Huntsville we know today. Organized by the Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Lakeside Methodist was home to Huntsville’s first public school for Black students. At a time when 7 out of 8 Alabamians lived in rural areas, Lakeside members lived within a few blocks of the courthouse square, participating in Huntsville’s town life. While most Alabamians worked in agriculture, Lakeside members were educators, budding entrepreneurs, or had jobs connected to Huntsville’s commercial economy. Lakeside members were politically connected, intellectually engaged, and took full advantage of the opportunities afforded by schools such as Rust Institute, an institution of higher learning founded by Richard Rust of the Freedman’s Society. This course introduces you to the men and women of Lakeside and their journey to civil and political equality.