The historic DeLaine-Waring African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, a cornerstone of Buffalo’s Hydraulics neighborhood for over 150 years, has been granted Local Landmark status for its architectural significance and contributions to civil rights history.
Built in 1869 as St. Matthew’s Church by German immigrants, it’s the oldest surviving church in Buffalo’s Hydraulics neighborhood. The DeLaine-Waring AME Church was designed in the Romanesque Revival architecture style, featuring vaulted red brick construction, a prominent southeast tower, and stained-glass windows. The Church became home to an African Methodist Episcopal congregation in 1961 under the leadership of Rev. Joseph DeLaine Sr. His fight against segregation played a key role in the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision, helping to dismantle “separate but equal” policies in the U.S.
We owe a big round of thank you’s for this one because it takes a village! Thank you to all the wonderful people at the church for gathering letters of support. Thank you to over 25 people who signed our letter of support! Thank you to our donors for our Save Our Sacred Sites initiative, so we can keep the local landmarking efforts going. Thank you to the Zemsky family for lending their support to get this adopted. Last but not least, thank you to the Buffalo Common Council and Buffalo Preservation Board for saying yes!
