Area Churches That Hosted Important Civil Rights Meetings

Churches within the African American community played an important role during the civil rights movement as places beyond the control of the white power structure, where people could express themselves without reprisal, while representing the freedom participants sought and meeting congregants' spiritual needs. They also served as community bulletin boards, and several area churches hosted important civil rights meetings, including those of the Tuskegee Civic Association, permitting the use of their auditoriums, grounds, and infrastructure for these meetings without charge. Important civil rights workers who spoke at these churches included Dr. Martin Luther King, Ralph David Abernathy, and John Lewis. Churches in the area that were instrumental in these meetings included Bethel Baptist, Butler Chapel AME Zion, Friendship Baptist, Greater St. Mark Missionary Baptist, Greenwood Missionary Baptist, Mount Olive Missionary Baptist, Solomon Chapel AME Zion, St. Andrew's Episcopal, Washington Chapel AME, and Westminster Presbyterian.

Tuskegee, Alabama · United States