The National Trust for Historic Preservation has awarded $8.5 million in grants to 30 historically Black churches and projects across the United States. These grants, part of the third annual Preserving Black Churches program, aim to prevent the demolition of historic structures, support maintenance, and address structural issues.
Brent Leggs, executive director of the trust’s African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, emphasized preserving these churches as “enduring symbols of faith, strength, and community leadership.” The program is a key initiative in safeguarding Black churches’ cultural and historical significance, which have played pivotal roles in civil rights movements and community empowerment.
Funding Supports Churches with Civil Rights Ties
Several grant recipients have deep connections to the Civil Rights Movement. The Historic Bethel Baptist Church Community in Birmingham, Alabama—once led by the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth—will use the funds to expand programming with augmented reality and visual interpretation. This initiative will educate visitors about the church’s critical role in fighting segregation.
First Congregational Church of Marion, Alabama, formerly led by the Rev. Andrew Young, will receive funding to stabilize its steeple and make other structural repairs. Young, a key civil rights leader, later served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and eulogized former President Jimmy Carter in January 2024.
Once led by the Rev. Ralph Abernathy, a close associate of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., West Hunter Street Baptist Church in Atlanta, will receive funds to hire a preservation manager to oversee restoration projects.
Larger Grants Aim to Preserve Denomination-Wide Heritage
Two 2025 recipients are receiving larger grants than in previous years. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion (AME Zion) denomination secured $500,000 to establish a preservation endowment for its historic churches nationwide. The AME Zion denomination has historic ties to abolitionists like Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, and Sojourner Truth.
The Cleveland Restoration Society was awarded $300,000 for its Historic Black Church Initiative. This funding will support churches that served as organizing sites for Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., and other civil rights leaders. Many churches face significant structural challenges due to decades of deferred maintenance.
Preserving Cultural and Religious Landmarks
Other grant recipients include Detroit’s New Bethel Baptist Church, where Aretha Franklin recorded her early gospel songs, and Quinn Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Frederick, Maryland, which served as a safe house on the Underground Railroad. Additionally, St. Alphonsus Liguori “Rock” Catholic Church in St. Louis, once visited by the first ordained African American Roman Catholic priest, Augustus Tolton, will receive funding for preservation efforts.
Since its inception, the Preserving Black Churches program, supported by the Lilly Endowment, has raised $60 million to protect historic Black religious sites. The broader African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund has secured over $150 million to preserve Black heritage sites nationwide.
Supporters argue that preserving these churches ensures future generations can learn about Black history and the role of faith in social progress. However, critics question whether public and private funds should be directed toward religious institutions rather than broader community development projects.
See the Source article for the list of churches that will benefit.
Source:
Historic Black Churches Receive $8.5 Million in Preservation Grants
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