National Park Service awards $500,000 grant to restore Black church

The National Park Service (NPS) has said that that the City of Shreveport has been awarded an additional $500,000 African-American Civil Rights Preservation Grant, reports the Shreveport News. The total grant provided by NPS is $1 million. The funds will be used to transform one of Shreveport’s historic landmarks, the Old Galilee Missionary Baptist Church, into a civil rights museum. This museum will document, highlight and interpret stories dedicated to the rich history of African-Americans and the African-American experience during the Civil Rights movement in northwest Louisiana. “Shreveport made significant contributions to the Civil Rights movement. This project not only preserves this important part of our history, but it will help us share it with people from around the world,” said Mayor Adrian Perkins. The City of Shreveport, in collaboration with the North Louisiana Civil Rights Coalition and the Shreveport Historic Preservation Commission, has started the stabilization process. “The City of Shreveport is excited to be engaged in a project to save one of the most significant structures in northwest Louisiana’s civil rights history,” said Bonnie Moore, Director of Community Development. The new grant will be used to further rehabilitate the historic old Galilee Baptist Church, restoring it to its original condition and appearance.