A REFUTATION at Mother Bethel AME Reclaims Lost Voices

A REFUTATION Breathes Life Into Forgotten Truths

On October 23, Philadelphia’s historic Mother Bethel AME Church will once again become a sacred stage—not just for worship, but for reckoning. The dramatic performance of A REFUTATION, presented by Theater of War Productions, transcends the ordinary boundaries of theater by intertwining live dramatic readings with guided discussions on racialized healthcare inequities. Using the church’s own founding history as the emotional foundation, A REFUTATION reclaims a powerful Black narrative from 1793 and places it directly in the public eye—where it always belonged.

A REFUTATION is built on the words of Richard Allen and Absalom Jones, towering figures in American history and founding leaders of the Black church. Their groundbreaking 1794 pamphlet, “A Narrative of the Proceedings of the Black People, During the Late Awful Calamity in Philadelphia”, and its companion rebuttal, “A REFUTATION of Some Censures, stand as the first U.S. federally copyrighted works by Black authors. These texts forcefully responded to Matthew Carey’s widely circulated—and deeply biased—account of the yellow fever epidemic, which painted Black caregivers and nurses in a criminally false light. On that battlefield of the printed word, Allen and Jones didn’t just defend their community—they made literary and moral history.

This free, hybrid event—part performance, part participatory civic dialogue—takes place both in person and on Zoom, bringing together professional actors, community panelists, and the audience itself in a shared discussion. Directed and facilitated by Bryan Doerries, A REFUTATION invites participants to reflect on the pandemic scars that still linger today, especially for frontline workers and caregivers in communities of color. Registration is required, and seating at Mother Bethel is limited, but the digital doors are wide open for all.

A REFUTATION Honors the Past, Speaks to the Present

The venue could not be more profound: Mother Bethel AME Church, located at 419 S. 6th Street, is not only the oldest AME Church in the nation but also the final resting place of Richard Allen. It is fitting that A REFUTATION should be staged here, grounding its 18th-century resistance text within the very walls that Allen built—literally and figuratively.

The performance will feature powerful excerpts from the dueling pamphlets by Allen, Jones, Carey, and Benjamin Rush, dramatically voiced by acclaimed actors. After the readings, community leaders—including nurses, first responders, and local advocates—will respond with their visceral reactions, sparking a dynamic, moderated conversation with the audience.

Commissioned and supported by The Greenwall Foundation in honor of its 75th anniversary, and presented in collaboration with the Philadelphia Funder Collaborative for the Semiquincentennial, A REFUTATION bridges centuries of civic struggle. The parallels between past and present—racialized public health narratives, frontline exhaustion, the battle over who controls history—could not be more urgent.

Philadelphia doesn’t shy away from its complicated legacies. This event isn’t just historical interpretation. It’s a living, breathing act of public accountability and cultural restoration.

A REFUTATION Connects Philadelphia’s Legacy to National Conversation

Philadelphia is no stranger to foundational moments in American identity—and A REFUTATION at Mother Bethel AME Church is one of them. In 1793, it was a yellow fever epidemic that set the stage. In 2025, it’s a call to reflect on whose stories have been omitted from the narrative of national resilience—and why.

What makes this event especially resonant is its immersive format: it’s not passive theater, it’s theater as civic intervention. With the current climate of misinformation, racial reckoning, and institutional distrust, A REFUTATION brings us back to first principles—who gets to tell the story, and who gets left out. This performance, staged within the very birthplace of Black religious autonomy, reclaims that right in full voice.

For Philadelphians who understand the weight of place, the legacy of struggle, and the power of words, A REFUTATION at Mother Bethel AME Church offers a rare moment of convergence. It’s one part history, one part healing, and all parts essential.

To register for the live or virtual event, visit HERE.

About Post Author

Allan Lane

Philadelphia born and bred, Allan Lane is the Publisher and Editor in Chief of digital magazines. He launched his first publication, SportBikes Inc Magazine in 2010, followed by dosage MAGAZINE in 2019. Recently, Allan launched his third online publication, Club For Man. As a journalist, Allan covers fashion, lifestyle, culture, art, and motorcycles.

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