Shiloh A.M.E. Zion Church in Asheville was officially organized sometime between 1869 and 1874, and the church has served as the heart of this historic African American community since its establishment. According to Anita White Carter, a lifelong Shiloh resident and descendant of original church trustee Hardin Mallory, the church served as a place of worship, a community center, and a school both before and after the community's relocation.

The church has remained instrumental in Shiloh as the congregation has worshiped, celebrated baptisms and marriages, mourned the deaths of beloved friends and family, helped to rear generations of children, and fostered the growth of this historic and influential community in Asheville.