Historic Selma Church Awarded $500,000 Grant

From the West Alabama Newsroom–

A historic church in Selma is awarded a half million dollar grant by the National Park Service.

Brown Chapel AME Church was a starting point for marches and hosted many of the mass meetings of the Selma Voting Rights Movement of 1965.

Church officials were notified about the award Thursday morning.

They say the funds will be used for a variety of maintenance and renovation projects around the church.

“Our building was erected in 1908 which is over a hundred years old,” said church member Juanda Maxwell.

“Its not just repair work, its restoration and repair work, so its very expensive. The $500,000 dollars is a Godsend and hopefully and with the Lord’s help, it will be able to repair everything that we need to be repaired.”

Church officials say some projects could get underway as soon as this spring.