Brown Hill African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church was organized in 1870 by a faithful group of African American Christians seeking a permanent place to worship, grow in faith, and build a spiritual community in the Browns Hill area of what is now Locust, North Carolina.

The property on which the church stands had been used as a place of Methodist worship before the Civil War. Historical records indicate that a Methodist Protestant congregation known as Brown’s Hill existed in the area as early as 1864. Following the Civil War and Emancipation, African American believers began gathering at the site and established the congregation that became Brown Hill A.M.E. Zion Church.

On October 27, 1874, approximately eight acres known as the Brown Hill Church property were formally purchased for the congregation. The deed named Michael Barnhardt, Wesley Morgan, Adam Morgan, Henry Love, and Solomon Reed as the purchasers. These men, together with Sarah Love and other faithful believers whose names may not have been preserved in the surviving records, helped lay the foundation for Brown Hill’s enduring ministry.

Church tradition holds that the property included an older worship structure, possibly a bush arbor. From these humble beginnings, Brown Hill developed into an established congregation devoted to biblical preaching, worship, Christian education, fellowship, and service.

An 1895 newspaper account described a joyful children’s celebration at Brown Hill attended by people from throughout the surrounding community. The service featured preaching, congregational singing, music from a local cornet band, meals, and fundraising. This early account reflects the welcoming spirit and strong community presence that have characterized Brown Hill throughout its history.

The historic Brown Hill A.M.E. Zion Church Cemetery preserves the memory of many early members and families, including descendants of the Love family, whose service and sacrifice helped sustain the congregation across generations.

For more than 150 years, Brown Hill A.M.E. Zion Church has remained a beacon of faith in the Locust community. While honoring the vision of its founders and the legacy of those who came before, the congregation continues to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ, develop disciples, strengthen families, and serve the community through faithful Christian ministry.