Little Known Black History Fact: Lemuel Haynes

Lemuel Haynes was the first black person to be ordained by a mainstream Protestant church in the United States. Born in 1753, Haynes was an orphan who went to work as an indentured servant until he was 21 years old. In 1774, Haynes enlisted in the militia as a “Minuteman.” It was during that time he began writing sermons.