Places of worship have long held, and continue to hold, a special place in the heart of America. Freedom of religion, enshrined in the Constitution via the First Amendment, remains as a national value and a key tenet of American life. This is reflected in the great diversity of religious practices in the United States and the multitudes of places of worship across the nation, from churches to synagogues to temples. These places of worship, consisting of people but manifested as the physical buildings that they attend, are more than just sites of religious practice. They are sites of community, social work, activism, education, and more. Of particular note is the Black church, which has long held historic significance to the African American community, the country as a whole, and the local Cleveland area. 

Many of Cleveland’s Black churches were heavily involved in the Civil Rights Movement in the 20^th century. Churches hosted civil rights leaders, pushed for the desegregation of Cleveland schools, and organized voter registration drives to promote equality and freedom for all. 

While the significance of these churches are truly the congregations and their commitments to community, justice, and one another, the historic architecture that they occupy serve as monuments to the legacy of these contributions. These sacred places must be preserved so that all Clevelanders and Ohioans—indeed, all Americans—can understand our interconnected histories and the courage, strength, and resilience it takes to serve and champion liberty and justice for all people.