The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund has awarded $5 million in grants to five historically Black churches. The fund, a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, is providing $1 million to each church. This substantial investment ensures these sacred spaces continue serving communities for generations to come while preserving critical American history.
Executive Director Brent Leggs announced the funding on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, making the timing deeply symbolic. The churches receiving grants are First African Baptist Church in Beaufort, South Carolina; Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ in Chicago; Second Baptist Church in Los Angeles; Mother Bethel AME Church in Philadelphia; and Brown Chapel AME Church in Selma. Each represents multifaceted legacies spanning critical moments in American history and culture.
African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund Supports Historic Preservation
“These churches represent multifaceted legacies spanning critical moments in American history and culture,” said Brent Leggs with conviction. The Action Fund focuses specifically on preserving African American historic sites across the United States. Their work ensures that Black cultural heritage remains visible and accessible to future generations seeking connection.
The generous funding comes from the Lilly Endowment Inc. through strategic partnership with the Action Fund. “Thanks to generous funding from the Lilly Endowment Inc. and our team’s strategic partnership, the Action Fund is ensuring that these historic churches can continue to exist as civic spaces of faith, education, beauty, and belonging for generations to come,” Leggs explained. This partnership demonstrates commitment to preserving sites central to Black American experience and identity.
National Trust for Historic Preservation Protects Diverse Cultural Landmarks
The National Trust for Historic Preservation works to protect historic landscapes and buildings representing America’s diverse cultural experience. Chartered by Congress in 1949 as a privately funded organization, it operates independently while serving public interest. The organization’s mission extends beyond mere building preservation to honoring all Americans’ histories comprehensively.
The National Trust partners with allies to save places, educate the public, and address urgent contemporary challenges. Their preservation work serves communities today while maintaining connections to the past that inform present understanding. The organization recognizes that historic preservation plays a crucial role in acknowledging America’s complete and complex story.
Historic Black Churches Served as Cornerstones Beyond Faith and Worship
Historically Black churches have played a vital role in shaping American history and civil rights movements. These sacred spaces have long served as cornerstones in their communities far beyond spiritual faith. They functioned as headquarters of social change, symbols of resilience, and markers of cultural achievement throughout history.
Black churches provided safe spaces during slavery, segregation, and the ongoing struggle for civil rights in America. They offered education, economic support, political organizing, and community protection when other institutions excluded Black people. The physical buildings themselves stand as testaments to Black perseverance, creativity, and determination against overwhelming obstacles.
Second Baptist Church Los Angeles Hosted Civil Rights Leaders and NAACP Conventions
Second Baptist Church in Los Angeles has long been a hub for community organizing and civic engagement. The church has hosted several NAACP national conventions, bringing together civil rights leaders from across the nation. Its doors have welcomed legendary figures including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X during pivotal moments.
The church’s commitment to faith leadership and community service made it a natural gathering place for social justice work. Leaders knew they could find support, organization, and mobilization within its walls during crucial historical periods. The building itself witnessed countless conversations, strategies, and decisions that shaped the civil rights movement’s trajectory.
Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ Hosted Emmett Till’s Funeral
Bishop William Roberts and his deacons laid the first bricks of Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ in 1922. The Chicago church served its community faithfully for decades before becoming the site of an event. In 1955, the church hosted the funeral of 15-year-old Emmett Till, whose brutal murder galvanized the civil rights movement.
Mamie Till-Mobley’s decision to hold an open-casket funeral at Roberts Temple changed American history forever. The images of Till’s brutalized body, viewed by thousands at the church, shocked the nation’s conscience. The church became sacred ground in the fight against racial violence and injustice in America.
Mother Bethel AME Church Sits on Oldest Black-Owned Land in America
Mother Bethel AME Church currently sits on the oldest parcel of land continuously owned by Black Americans. Built in 1794, it represents the birthplace of the African Methodist Episcopal denomination founded by Rev. Richard Allen. The church’s founding marked a critical moment in Black religious and organizational independence in early America.
Rev. Richard Allen established the AME denomination after experiencing discrimination within predominantly white Methodist churches. His vision created a space where Black worshippers could practice faith with dignity and self-determination. Mother Bethel became the mother church of a denomination that spread across America and internationally.
Mother Bethel Pastor Expresses Gratitude for Million Dollar Grant
“We are profoundly grateful for this generous $1M grant from the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund,” Rev. Carolyn C. Cavaness stated. The pastor of Mother Bethel AME Church emphasized how the funding empowers continued community work. Preserving the church’s rich African American history remains central to its ongoing mission and purpose.
“This contribution demonstrates the commitment to the historical significance of this landmark as a beacon for social justice and a critical institution in the founding of America,” Rev. Cavaness continued. Her words acknowledge that Mother Bethel’s importance extends beyond Philadelphia to the entire nation’s history. The church stands as living proof of Black Americans’ foundational contributions to American democracy and freedom.
Brown Chapel AME Church in Selma Witnessed Historic Civil Rights Marches
Brown Chapel AME Church in Selma, Alabama, served as the starting point for historic civil rights marches. The church became headquarters for voting rights organizing during the critical 1960s civil rights movement period. From its doors, marchers departed for the Selma to Montgomery marches that changed American voting rights forever.
The church provided sanctuary, meeting space, and spiritual support for activists risking their lives for justice. It witnessed both the planning of peaceful protests and the healing of those injured during violent confrontations. Brown Chapel’s role in securing the Voting Rights Act of 1965 cements its place in American history.
First African Baptist Church Beaufort Represents Early Black Religious Independence
First African Baptist Church in Beaufort, South Carolina, represents one of the oldest Black congregations in America. The church’s history reflects the struggle for religious autonomy during and after slavery in the South. Its existence demonstrates how enslaved and free Black people created institutions serving their spiritual and community needs.
The church served as a gathering place for education, mutual aid, and resistance throughout its history. Its building and congregation survived wars, reconstruction, Jim Crow, and continue serving the community today. The architectural preservation ensures future generations can connect with this tangible piece of Black religious heritage.
Million Dollar Grants Ensure Historic Churches Continue Serving Future Generations
The $1 million grants provide crucial resources for building maintenance, restoration, and programming at each church. Historic buildings require significant investment to remain safe, functional, and welcoming for contemporary congregations and visitors. Without this support, many historic Black churches face deterioration, closure, or sale due to financial pressures.
Preservation of these churches ensures that future generations can experience spaces where ancestors organized, worshipped, and resisted oppression. The buildings serve as classrooms teaching American history through architecture, artifacts, and continuing congregation stories. Investment in these churches represents investment in truthful historical education and community strength for years ahead.