Historic black church tied to Civil Rights Movement receives preservation award
A prominent African American church in Alabama that was deeply involved in the Civil Rights Movement has been honored with an award for its historic preservation.
Sixteenth Street Baptist Church of Birmingham, which was the site of an infamous 1963 Ku Klux Klan bombing in which four black girls were killed, was honored by The National Trust for Historic Preservation on Monday.
Specifically, the church received the Trustees’ Emeritus Award for Historic Site Stewardship for its successful efforts to preserve and renovate its historically significant property.
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“Sixteenth Street Baptist Church has successfully restored its buildings and become a shining example of preservation, cultural revitalization, and social activism,” stated the National Trust.
“Today, the church remains committed to serving the community, as well as the more than 100,000 tourists who visit annually to tour the redesigned educational spaces and multi-media museum experiences that focus not only on the bombing and its aftermath, but also on the aesthetic significance of the church's design by African American architect W. A. Rayfield.”
The National Trust presented awards to other individuals and groups for their labors in preserving history.
“We are deeply honored to accept this recognition on behalf of the Birmingham community,” said the Rev. Arthur Price Jr., pastor of Sixteenth Street Baptist, as quoted by Bham Now. “Our sanctuary is a sacred space in every sense, and we are proud to continue on its legacy and history.”
The Alabama African American Civil Rights Heritage Sites Consortium took to Facebook to celebrate the news of 16th Street Baptist Church receiving the honor.
Consortium board member Ted Debro, who also serves as chair of the board of trustees for Sixteenth Street Baptist, accepted the stewardship award on behalf of the congregation.
“This honor celebrates the church’s steadfast role in civil rights history and the powerful legacy it upholds,” the Consortium said in a statement on Tuesday. “From being a beacon of resilience in the movement to a national landmark of hope and remembrance, this church continues to inspire and educate generations.”
A church known for coordinating civil rights work, in 1963, members of the KKK planted a bomb at the building, with the attack killing four girls: Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, Cynthia Wesley and Addie Mae Collins. It also injured several others, including Sarah Collins Rudolph, Addie’s sister.
“It was a shocking, terrifying day in the history of Birmingham and a day that forced white leaders to further come to grips with the city’s bitter racist reputation,” recounted the church on its website.
“The tragedy of that Sunday produced outpourings of sympathy, concern and financial contributions from all parts of the world. More than $300,000 was contributed for the restoration of the damaged church.”
The tragedy gave international attention to the civil rights struggle and became a rallying point for many activists in the United States. The church reopened for worship on June 7, 1964.
Last September, the city of Birmingham and the church held a series of events to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the tragedy, with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first black woman to sit on the nation’s highest court, giving a speech.
