Big Bethel AME Church traces its founding to 1847 as Union Church, becoming Bethel Tabernacle in 1855 and later Big Bethel; it is recognized as Atlanta's oldest continuously operating congregation, Black or white. The church hosted the first public school for Black Atlantans in its basement in 1879 and the founding classes of Morris Brown College in 1881. Located in the historic Sweet Auburn district, it was nicknamed "Sweet Auburn's City Hall" for its civic role in Atlanta's Black community.