Final answer:
Richard Allen became the first bishop and leader of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1816, which he helped establish as the first separate African American church.
Step-by-step explanation:
Richard Allen became the first bishop and leader of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in 1816. The African Methodist Episcopal Church was created as the first separate African American church and played a crucial role in the early and politically active Black church denominations in the United States. Richard Allen, alongside Absalom Jones, significantly contributed to the foundation of the AME church to protest against the racial injustices they faced within the Methodist Episcopal Church. The AME church was an embodiment of both religious freedom and a strong opposition to all forms of racism and discrimination.