O God of justice and mercy, we remember before thee thy servants Peter Williams Cassey and Anna Besant Cassey, who, in the face of slavery and discrimination, gave the blessings of education and spiritual haven to the marginalized; Grant us to be fearless in the face of injustice and to work for blessings that will touch those whom the world does not count of value; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth for ever and ever. Amen.
AND ANNIE BESANT CASSEY 1875]
Peter Williams Cassey was ordained as a deacon in 1866, the first person of color ordained in the Episcopal Church west of the Mississippi River. He was a fourth generation freed African American. His great grandfather bought his freedom and founded the first black church in New York, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. His grandfather was the first African American Episcopal priest in New York and founder of St. Philip’s in Manhattan. His parents, Joseph and Amy Cassey were prominent abolitionists in Philadelphia.
Peter received the best classical education available at the time, speaking and fluently reading Greek, Hebrew, and Latin. He arrived in San Francisco in 1853 and worked as a barber. He helped organize a community association to protect African Americans and other people of color. In the late 1850’s he moved to San José, California where he formed an abolitionist group to help free slaves.
Peter married Annie Besant, who came from another prominent African American family. They were among the founding members of Trinity Parish, San Jose, California in 1862. At the same time, they rented the former Bascom School for Girls and established St. Philips Mission for Colored People and opened St. Philip’s Academy. The school was not only for African American, but also for Mexican and Chinese students because no children of color could attend public schools.
Bishop William Ingram Kip, first Bishop of California, recognized St. Philip’s as a mission congregation out of Trinity Church and ordained Peter as a deacon in 1866. Although he would go on to lead several congregations, he was never ordained as a priest because of barriers caused by racism in the Episcopal Church at that time. The bishop directed him to establish Christ Church for Colored People in San Francisco while Annie kept St. Philip’s going. Later this church would split into the African American Church of St. Cyprian and Christ Nippon Sei Ko Kai (Japanese American Episcopal Church).
In 1881 Peter was called to St. Cyprian’s Episcopal Church in New Bern, North Carolina as the first African American rector in that state. In 1884 he was accepted a call to Florida where he served three parishes in succession until he died at the age of 86 on April 16th, 1917.
Bishop Edwin Gardner Weed said at Peter’s funeral “that no other clergyman in the diocese came close to the theological maturity and scholarship that Peter Williams Cassey exhibited in his ministry and teachings. We should be proud of these great souls that helped lay the foundations of this diocese.”
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1Hallelujah! Happy are they who fear the Lord *and have great delight in his commandments!
2Their descendants will be mighty in the land; *the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3Wealth and riches will be in their house, *and their righteousness will last for ever.
4Light shines in the darkness for the upright; *the righteous are merciful and full of compassion.
5It is good for them to be generous in lending *and to manage their affairs with justice.
6For they will never be shaken; *the righteous will be kept in everlasting remembrance.
7They will not be afraid of any evil rumors; *their heart is right; they put their trust in the Lord.
8Their heart is established and will not shrink, *until they see their desire upon their enemies.
9They have given freely to the poor, *and their righteousness stands fast for ever; they will hold up their head with honor.
10The wicked will see it and be angry; they will gnash their teeth and pine away; *the desires of the wicked will perish.
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