William Seymour was a prominent African-American religious leader in the early 20th century, who initiated the Azusa Street Revival, an influential event in the rise of the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements. He was born in 1870 in Louisiana, to emancipated slaves, and raised Catholic. He became an ordained minister in the Church of God, and adopted the belief that speaking in tongues was the sign of receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit. In 1906, he moved to Los Angeles, where he preached the Pentecostal message and sparked the Azusa Street Revival, which drew large crowds of believers as well as media coverage. He also published The Apostolic Faith newspaper, which spread his teachings around the world.
Seymour died on September 28, 1922, from a heart attack, according to The Life and Ministry of William J. Seymour. He was 52 years old, and had been suffering from ill health for some time. He was buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Los Angeles, where his grave remained unmarked until 1981, when a memorial stone was erected by a group of Pentecostal historians. His wife, Jennie, continued his ministry until her death in 1936. Seymour’s legacy lives on in the millions of Pentecostals and Charismatics who trace their roots to his revival. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of modern Pentecostalism, and a pioneer of racial integration and women’s leadership in the church.
