Community Revitalization Project

Historic Bethel Baptist Church Community Revitalization Project

The Historic Bethel Baptist Church Community Restoration Fund (HBBCCRF) was organized in 2002, to provide, promote and establish a fund to restore Historic Bethel Baptist Church of Collegeville and other sites in the community that played a key role in the civil rights struggles of the 1950’s and 1960’s.  In 2005, Bethel was recognized as a National Historic Treasure and is now being considered by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

The HBBCCRF Community Revitalization Project provides non-competitive mini-grants to allow homeowners in the buffer zone around Historic Bethel Baptist Church to make needed home repairs. HBBCCRF is working with the Christian Service Mission, a long-term supporter, to make home repairs.  As a community partner, the Christian Service Mission has helped to paint homes, put on new roofs, and provide general clean-up in the community.

Goals:

  1. Revitalize the neighborhood surrounding Historic Bethel by providing mini grants to help homeowners make needed home repairs;
  2. Expand educational programming designed to educate, engage, and empower visitors with knowledge regarding the role of Historic Bethel Baptist Church and Parsonage, the Collegeville neighborhood, and Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth in the Modern Civil Rights Movement;
  3. Support community projects and activities that will result in expanding opportunities for public and youth engagement as they relate to education and volunteerism;
  4. Provide student internships;
  5. and, Work with sites within the Birmingham  Civil Rights National Monument to present a comprehensive narrative of this era of history.

The story of Birmingham’s Collegeville community and the Modern Civil Rights Movement is the story of a church and the resolve of a neighborhood to stand with its leader, Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth to make the American Dream accessible to all Americans.  Our community revitalization project expands the narrative of this transformational era of United States history and revitalizes the neighborhood that helped to nurture and foster that change.

Photos

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