Remembering
William J. Seymour

A Voice in the Upper Room

In the spring of 1906, something happened in a little house in Los Angeles that would end up shaking the world. People gathered to pray, and the Holy Spirit showed up in a way most of them had only read about in the book of Acts. There were no big names, no polished services — just raw hunger and a man named William J. Seymour who believed God still moves in power today.

Seymour wasn’t loud or flashy. He didn’t seek attention. He simply longed for more of God — and that hunger lit a fire that would spark one of the most influential revival movements in modern history. What began in a prayer meeting would come to be known as the Azusa Street Revival, and its ripple effects are still felt around the world today.

Humble Beginnings

William Joseph Seymour was born on May 2, 1870, in Centerville, Louisiana. He was the son of formerly enslaved parents and grew up in the thick of the Reconstruction-era South — surrounded by poverty, racism, and deep social division. Life wasn’t easy, but even in the struggle, Seymour carried a deep hunger for God.

He eventually left home in search of work and spiritual truth, spending time in cities like Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and eventually Houston. Along the way, he worked various jobs — waitering, shining shoes, and cleaning — all while staying close to the Word and spending hours in prayer.

In Houston, he came across the teachings of Charles Parham, who preached about the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. Because of segregation laws at the time, Seymour wasn’t allowed to sit in the classroom, but he was so hungry to learn that he listened from the hallway. That’s the kind of man he was — overlooked by society, but fully seen by God.

The Call to Preach

In early 1906, Seymour received an invitation to preach at a small Holiness church in Los Angeles. He packed up and went — full of fire and faith — only to be locked out of the church after preaching his first message on the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The people weren’t ready for what he was carrying.

But the door that closed led to another one opening.

A family from the church, the Asberrys, invited him to stay at their home on Bonnie Brae Street, and prayer meetings began to grow there night after night. People from every walk of life gathered to seek God, and on April 9, the Holy Spirit fell. One man began speaking in tongues. Then another. Then another.

Within days, the crowds grew so large the porch collapsed under the weight of people trying to get inside. What started in a living room couldn’t be contained.

Azusa Street and the Nations

With more people coming every night, the group moved into an old building at 312 Azusa Street. It had once been a stable and a storage facility, and it didn’t look like much. But it didn’t need to. God was there.

That building became home to what we now call the Azusa Street Revival — a Spirit-led gathering that lasted for about three years, from 1906 to 1909. There was no big-name preacher, no agenda, no program. Just the Holy Spirit moving in power. People sang spontaneously, fell to their knees in repentance, were healed of diseases, and spoke in languages they’d never learned. It wasn’t always neat. It wasn’t always comfortable. But it was real and the beautiful thing was everyone was welcome.

In a time when racial segregation was the law of the land, Seymour led a revival where Black, white, Latino, Asian, and Native American believers worshiped side by side. Men and women were encouraged to minister. Social and economic barriers were broken. For a while, Azusa looked like heaven on earth.

Word spread quickly. People came from around the country — and the world — to experience what was happening. And when they left, they took the fire with them. From that old barn in downtown Los Angeles, the message of Pentecost went global. Today, the Pentecostal and Charismatic movement

includes more than 600 million believers — many of whom can trace their roots back to Azusa Street.

A Quiet Finish, A Lasting Impact

Seymour never became a celebrity. He didn’t build a big ministry empire or write best-selling books. He was quiet, humble, and deeply devoted to prayer. In fact, during the revival, he was often found with his head tucked inside a wooden shoebox as he prayed at the front of the room.

After the peak of Azusa, the revival began to fade, and internal divisions caused some to walk away. Racial segregation eventually crept back into parts of the Pentecostal movement — a heartbreaking departure from Seymour’s original vision of unity. Even so, what God started through him never truly ended.

William J. Seymour passed away in 1922 at the age of 52. He was buried in Los Angeles without much attention. But his obedience had already sparked a global movement. The fruit of his life is still growing more than a century later.

Legacy That Still Speaks

Seymour’s story reminds us that you don’t have to be famous or polished to change the world. He wasn’t after the spotlight. He was after God. And that kind of hunger is still what fuels revival today.

He dreamed of a Church that would be Spirit-filled, full of love, and unified across every line that divides us. It wasn’t just about speaking in tongues or having emotional experiences — it was about being fully surrendered to the Holy Spirit and walking in His power, every day.

As we look back on William J. Seymour’s life, we don’t just see a moment in history. We see a model for what’s still possible — a Church led by prayer, driven by love, and filled with fire.

For more information about William J. Seymour and the Azusa Street Revival, visit www.azusastreetmission.org