Saint John, founded at the turn of the 19th century, is the first African-American Methodist Episcopal Church in South Anniston. The original structure was built in 1922. The current building was erected in 1951 on the corner of D Street and Christine Ave. Saint John was the site of mass meetings during the Civil Rights Movement. The Ku Klux Klan, who violently opposed civil rights progress in Anniston and other Southern Cities, fired shots into the Church on Mother’s Day, May 12, 1963.
In 1967, Saint John merged with West Florida and the North Alabama United Methodist Conference and became known as Saint John United Methodist Church.

The Church is a testament to the community’s faith, strength, and commitment to equality.

The Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage added Saint John U.M.C. on December 1, 2016