author
Jarena Lee
1783–1864
A pioneering Black preacher, writer, and traveler, she pushed against the limits placed on women in the early 1800s and became a powerful voice in American religious life. Her memoir remains one of the earliest published autobiographies by an African American woman.
1 Audiobook
About the author
Born in New Jersey in 1783, Jarena Lee grew up free but in poverty and later moved to Philadelphia, where she experienced a religious conversion and joined Richard Allen's Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church. She felt called to preach at a time when women were rarely allowed to do so, especially in public ministry.
Although Allen first refused her request, Lee continued speaking and traveling as an evangelist. After hearing her preach, he formally recognized her ministry, making her the first woman authorized to preach in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. She became known for her tireless itinerant work, speaking to mixed audiences across the United States.
Lee was also an important writer. Her spiritual autobiography, first published in 1836 and expanded in 1849, tells the story of her faith, struggles, and calling in her own words. Today she is remembered not only as a religious trailblazer, but also as an early African American autobiographer whose life opened doors for others.