In an exciting kick-off to Black History Month, the National Trust for Historic Preservation announced a $75,000 national grant awarded to Gather Place, a key player in the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund’s groundbreaking Preserving Black Churches project.
Chosen from a pool of 550 national proposals, Gather Place is among the elite 31 historic Black churches across the nation selected to receive a total investment of $4 million this year.
Situated in the heart of Yardley Borough’s historic district, Gather Place, headquartered at the historic African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church, is honored to be a recipient of this prestigious financial award.
Brent Leggs, executive director of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, and senior vice president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, shared his enthusiasm: “Your efforts to preserve the rich history of your Black church contribute significantly to telling the full American story, and it’s truly inspiring.”
The grant serves as a beacon of support for the Preserving Yardley’s African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church Legacy: Generational Voices Project. Spearheaded by Shirley Lee Corsey, executive director of Gather Place Museum, this initiative addresses the gentrification impact on Yardley Borough’s African American heritage since the 1970s.
Nonprofit Gather Place Museum brings history to life by capturing the invaluable memories of the last surviving members and other Yardley Borough residents born in the early 1900s through professionally conducted video interviews. This documentation ensures that their stories are not only cherished now but also archived for the inspiration of future generations.
“The essence of a community lies within its history, and this grant will enable us to ‘Tell the whole story,’” Corsey said. “Our mission to safeguard a crucial chapter of Yardley’s past is fueled by the people, their stories, struggles, and triumphs. These stories deserve recognition and preservation, serving as a source of inspiration and a reminder of our roots.”
Since 2017, the Action Fund has raised over $91 million in philanthropic funding, making it the largest U.S. resource dedicated to the preservation of African American historic places.
“We created the Preserving Black Churches program to ensure the historic Black church’s legacy is told and secured, fostering community resilience and driving meaningful change in our society,” Leggs said.
Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., historian, and advisor to the Action Fund, said, “Black churches have been at the forefront of meaningful democratic reform since this nation’s founding. They’re a living testament to the resilience of our ancestors in the face of unimaginably daunting challenges.”
With more than $90 million in funding, the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, is the largest U.S. resource dedicated to the preservation of African American historic places.
The mission of Gather Place Museum, 188 South Canal St., is “Bringing History To Life,” by preserving it, celebrating culture, and fostering community engagement. To join in, email info@gatherplace.org, visit on social media or at www.gatherplace.org, or call 215-595-2722.
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