James Anderson Handy

James Anderson Handy, D. D., Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, was born in Baltimore, Md., on the 22nd day of December, 1826, to Ishmael, a former slave, and Nancy Handy. His mother died when he was about six years of age, leaving five children. He was placed in the care of his uncle who reared him.

He was baptized in April 1833¹Centennial Encyclopedia of the African American Episcopal Church, vol. 1 by John Russell Hawkins. as a boy, about seven years of age, by the Rev. Peter Schureman. About the same time, he became a member of Bethel Sunday School, and always thereafter considered himself a member of the School unto the day of his death.  He occupied every position in the Sunday School, from scholar to superintendent. In 1852 he became a full member of the congregation, and filled every office, except being a licensed exhorter. Bishop Handy was true and faithful in every position from sexton to Bishop. Handy joined the AME church in 1853.  He was licensed to preach in 1860; ordained a Deacon in 1864. He became an elder in  1865, and at the close of the Civil War, was one of the few picked men chosen by Bishop Payne to accompany him in the far South, to open up the work of that Church.

In 1888, he was elected financial secretary of the connection, and purchased and established the present headquarters in the city of Washington. In May of 1892 he was elected a Bishop of his Church. He held pastorates in MD, Washington, DC, NC, VA and LA. He was the author of “Scraps of Methodist History.” He was married to Mary F. Handy. He was a strong character, and universally beloved, but nowhere more than in Baltimore, his own native city, where, full of years and full of honors, he breathed his last, October 3, 1911. He was buried at Bethel Church.