6 Black churches to be nominated for historical register

CLEVELAND (WJW) — Preserving pieces of Cleveland history before they’re lost is the sentiment behind the effort to elevate six historic Black churches to the National Register of Historic Places.

A $52,000 grant recently awarded to the Cleveland Restoration Society by the National Park Service will enable the organization to nominate what it calls sacred places in the telling of Black history.

“So many people came to Cleveland during the Great Migration with almost nothing, looking for a better life to start over,” said Kathleen Crowther, president of the Cleveland Restoration Society.

According to the society, just 1% of Ohio locations on the National Register of Historic Places are categorized as Black heritage.

“The churches were always involved in the Civil Rights Movement, and so that was a place great African American leaders would go to speak,” said Crowther.

They include Greater Abyssinia Baptist Church, led by Rev. E.T. Caviness, pastor of the church since 1961.

The Cleveland Restoration Society reported the church is eligible for nomination because of the pastor’s leadership during the fight against segregated schools during the Civil Rights Movement, among other activism efforts in Cleveland.

Crowther said this grant will allow the organization the opportunity to preserve history, culture and architectural significance of the buildings.

The six Cleveland churches to be nominated include Advent Evangelical Lutheran Church, Nazarene Baptist, Calvary Presbyterian, Emmanuel Baptist Church, Greater Abyssinia Baptist Church and Greater Friendship Baptist Church.

“So many of our urban congregations never give up in helping people. They are always open,” said Crowther. “To help provide warm, free space for things like child care, elder care, community programs of all different kinds. They’re really anchors in our communities.”

The Cleveland Restoration Society works to preserve, protect and celebrate historical buildings and places.

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