$4 million awarded to help protect 31 historic Black churches in U.S.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation’s African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund is awarding $4 million in its second round of Preserving Black Churches grants to 31 historic Black churches across the U.S.

Preserving historic African American places

With over $95 million in funding, the Action Fund is the largest U.S. resource dedicated to preserving historic African American places.

Since its launch in 2022, the Action Fund has provided $8.7 million in grants to over 70 historic churches.

Protecting Historic Black Churches in U.S.

Black churches stand as timeless bastions of faith, resilience, and achievement in communities across America. These sacred spaces have been the birthplace of movements, the planning grounds for change, and a refuge for those seeking solace.

“We created the Preserving Black Churches program to ensure the historic Black church’s legacy is told and secured. That these cultural assets can continue to foster community resilience and drive meaningful change in our society,” said Brent Leggs, Executive Director of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund.

“We couldn’t be more excited to honor our second round of grantees and ensure that African Americans – and our entire nation – can enjoy an empowered future built on the inspiring foundations of our past.”

About Preserving Historic Black Churches

Preserving Black Churches is a $20 Million Action Fund program that equips historic Black churches and their congregations with the critical resources and technical preservation expertise to protect its assets and legacies they steward.

With this round’s grants ranging from $50,000 to $200,000, the program helps congregations solve urgent and ongoing preservation threats such as deferred maintenance, insufficient funding, demolition, water filtration, and mold contamination.

Sites selected for this year’s grants include historic sites such as:

• St. James AME Church in New Orleans, Louisiana
• Town Clock Church in New Albany, Indiana
• Big Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Atlanta, Georgia

To learn more about their mission and full list, visit them at  www.savingplaces.org/actionfund.