16th Street Baptist Church wins national historic stewardship award
Birmingham's 16th St. Baptist Church
The 16th Street Baptist Church received national recognition on Monday for its historic site stewardship from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. This comes after years of church staff and community members working to restore and preserve the structure as it looked in 1963.
Rev. Arthur Price Jr., pastor of the church, said receiving the award was an honor. But he added the true honor is the part church members have played in its legacy.
“We consider ourselves stewards of not only this building, but of its history,” Price said.
Throughout the 1960s, the 16th Street Baptist Church acted as a headquarters for protestors opposing systemic, institutional racism across the city. In 1963, Ku Klux Klansmen bombed the church just before a Sunday service, killing four Black girls. The next year, the 1964 Civil Rights Act became law.
“I think [the preservation] speaks to the resiliency of this congregation and to those who were in the Civil Rights Movement,” Price said. “They were able to overcome obstacles, and turn those obstacles into opportunities. Because the civil rights movement galvanized a generation to make sure that the Civil Rights Act would get passed and that those little girls’ deaths would not be in vain.”
Today, more than 100,000 tourists visit the church annually, recognizing its historical and cultural significance along with its architecture.
“People go to see the Liberty Bell or the Eiffel Tower because of what those buildings mean,” Price siad. “And people come to Birmingham and view the 16th Street Church because of the movement and what the symbolism of the church means as well.”
Some of the work was done thanks to funds from the National Parks Service, Price said, which paid for repairs to the stained glass windows and the original limestone steps along with other sanctuary restorations.
“We were able to take the grant money and really do a bang-up job on the church to preserve it for generations that come behind us,” Price said.
The National Trust called the congregation’s preservation work a “shining example” of revitalization.
“Our preservationists have worked to make sure that this building continues to stand,” Price said. “We’ve realized that we’re on holy ground.”
Top Democrats ask for a meeting with Trump ahead of government shutdown
In new letter to President Trump, Democratic congressional leaders Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries request a meeting to discuss the path forward for government funding ahead of a Sept. 30 deadline.
Trump says U.S. military fatally struck another alleged drug-smuggling boat
President Trump posted a video that shows a vessel speeding through waters before it appears to be struck by a pair of missiles from overhead and sink in a fiery explosion.
U.S. attorney resigns under pressure from Trump to charge N.Y. AG Letitia James
Erik Siebert resigned after President Trump said he wanted him "out" after a monthslong mortgage fraud investigation into New York Attorney General Letitia James failed to result in criminal charges.
Opinion: Robert Redford will always light up our screens
The late Robert Redford will be remembered for his many movie roles. But he also leaves the artistic legacy of the Sundance Film Festival, which nurtured generations of independent filmmakers.
Lawyers vs. engineers: Dan Wang sees U.S.-China dynamics in a new paradigm
In a new book, analyst Dan Wang uses "engineering state" vs. "lawyerly society" to explain how China got ahead and America stagnated.
5 lessons from a house that generates more energy than it uses
With higher utility bills, a house that produces more energy than it uses may be appealing. In southern California, one such house has existed for more than a decade. NPR's Jeff Brady visited the "Green Idea House" in Hermosa Beach, California.
