East Harlem Preservation is pleased to endorse the proposal to landmark the First Spanish United Methodist Church, located at 163 East 111th Street (affectionately known as the “People’s Church”). We commend the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission for its assistance in establishing the site as a permanent affirmation of the contributions and achievements of generations of Puerto Ricans in East Harlem (“El Barrio”).
The First Spanish United Methodist Church has served the Latin American community in East Harlem for almost a century and was the site of the Young Lords Party’s historic takeover in December 1969, during which members held community teach-ins, and provided free daycare, healthcare and meals for neighborhood residents. Many of those members dedicated their careers to social justice issues through education, and labor and community organizing.
The First Spanish United Methodist Church also served as the setting for the first recital of the legendary poem, “Puerto Rican obituary,” by the late Pedro Petri – as well as his memorial service in 2004. As they have done for generations, members of the Pietri family, including the late Carmen Pietri and her husband Samuel Diaz, also attended services at the First Spanish United Methodist Church.
The “People’s Church” is symbolic of the civil rights movement that has inspired millions of Puerto Ricans throughout the United States. The iconic building remains in an integral part of the neighborhood’s history and is visited by thousands of people each year. As such, we wholeheartedly support its preservation as an historic landmark.
First Spanish United Methodist Church, Lexington Avenue at East 111th Street, Barrett Reiter (LPC), 2017
