Benjamin Franklin Lee (September 18, 1841 – March 12, 1926) was a religious leader and educator in the United States.

In November 1864 he enrolled in night classes at Wilberforce University, and he became a full student in 1865, graduating with an A.

He also received support from Hannah McDonald, a sister-in-law to Bishop Daniel Payne, who was the university's president.

Lee also had a religious calling, joining the African Methodist Episcopal church in 1862, licensed to preach in 1868, ordained deacon in 1870 and elder in 1872.

Mary also graduated from Wilberforce and was a celebrated writer, noted for her poem "Afmerica" and writings in theA.

[5] In 1873 he returned to Ohio where he was appointed chair of pastoral theology, homiletics, and ecclesiastical history at Wilberforce after the resignation of T. H. Jackson.

[10] In 1892, Bishops Richard Randolph Disney and Jabez Pitt Campbell died and Lee, Moses B. Salter, and James A.

[11] He was ordained bishop in Philadelphia by Payne, Wesley John Gaines, and Abraham Grant, and was appointed to the tenth Episcopal district, which included parts of Texas, Louisiana, California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, and Western Canada.

[14] In 1908, Lee ordained future AME bishop, John Henry Clayborn, elder in Camden, Arkansas.

[15] He wrote numerous articles, books, and pamphlets, including "Wesley, the Worker" and "Causes of Success of Methodism".

[17] The building was designed by Seminary graduate George Edward Curry, who would later himself be an AME bishop.