Within the past two weeks, six predominantly black churches in St. Louis, Missouri have been the target of arsonists. The doors of each church have been torched. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Kansas City have yet to determine the motivation behind the fires, but police are currently investigating the arsons.
The latest in this string of arson marks at least the ninth attack on a predominantly black church since Dylann Roof allegedly opened fire at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina in June. It also marked at least the 100th black church that has faced an act of terror since 1956.
Although many church burnings, bombings and other hate crimes went unreported before and during the Civil Rights era, we know of at least 100 cases since the 1950s when American black churches, which like many churches are places of worship and community, were the targets of what can only be described as domestic terrorism. (Our list contains relatively few incidents from the 1970s and 1980s, in part because exhaustive records from those years are hard to find. There was a spike in violence against churches in the 1990s, which led Congress to pass the Church Arson Prevention Act in 1996).
In response to the most recent attacks, the black community and outside groups have rallied around the affected congregants by opening their doors for special prayer services and raising money to rebuild burned churches. Still the fact remains that black churches have consistently been a target in this country.
Below, a brief run-down of the attacks on black churches, from the ’50s to today.
Attacks on historically black churches, 1950s-present
Bombing
Arson
Shooting
Vandalism
1950s
Our list only dates back as far as 1956, but church bombings and burnings were happening well before then, and it also wasn’t uncommon for pastors to be targeted at their homes. On Dec. 25, 1956, in Birmingham, Alabama, the home of civil rights leader Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth was damaged in an explosion, along with the church next door.
Dec. 25, 1956
Bethel Baptist
Birmingham, Alabama
April 28, 1957
Allen Temple AME Church
Bessemer, Alabama
April 28, 1958
Temple Beth-El
Birmingham, Alabama
June 29, 1958
Bethel Baptist
Birmingham, Alabama
1960s
On Sept. 15, 1963, four black schoolgirls were killed by a bomb at Birmingham’s 16th Street Baptist Church before Sunday morning service. It was the third explosion in the city in 11 days after federal legislation mandated the integration of Alabama schools. More than 8,000 people attended a public funeral held for three of the girls. The outrage over the bombing helped lead to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Jan. 16, 1962
New Bethel Baptist Church
Birmingham, Alabama
Jan. 16, 1962
St. Luke’s AME Zion Church
Birmingham, Alabama
Jan. 16, 1962
Triumph Church and Kingdom of God and Christ
Birmingham, Alabama
Dec. 14, 1962
Bethel Baptist Church
Birmingham, Alabama
Aug. 10, 1963
St. James United Methodist Church
Birmingham, Alabama
Sept. 15, 1963
16th Street Baptist Church
Birmingham, Alabama
June 17, 1964
Mt. Zion Church
Longdale, Mississippi
1970s
In 1973, someone torched the Cartersville Baptist Church in Reston, Virginia, causing the pulpit and pews to fall into the basement. The church had been home to a congregation of 50 black people. Several years later, the Second Wilson Church, a meeting place for civil rights activists in Chester, South Carolina, was gutted when a flame spread from the windows to the ceiling shortly after a protest.
Summer 1973
Cartersville Baptist Church
Reston, Virginia
Dec. 16, 1979
Second Wilson Church
Chester, South Carolina
1980s
In 1980, police investigated a series of mysterious fires that damaged at least three black churches in New York City between April 23 and May 6.
Spring 1980
First Baptist Church
New York City
Spring 1980
St. John’s Baptist Church
New York City
May 4, 1980
Bethel AME
New York City
1990s
In the mid-1990s, there was a spike in reported church fires. More than 30 black churches were burned in an 18-month period in 1995 and 1996, leading Congress to pass the Church Arson Prevention Act.
Jan. 5, 1990
Apostolic Faith Assembly Church
Louisville, Kentucky
February 1992
Rock Springs Baptist Church
McDonough, Georgia
April 4, 1993
Springhill Freewill Baptist Church
Smithdale, Mississippi
April 4, 1993
Rocky Point Missionary Baptist
Pike County, Mississippi
February 1994
Bucks Chapel Church
Sumter County, Alabama
February 1994
Pine Top Baptist Church
Sumter County, Alabama
February 1994
Oak Grove Missionary Church
Sumter County, Alabama
February 19, 1994
Rock Hill Baptist Church
Aiken County, South Carolina
Feb. 25, 1994
Old Rosemary Baptist Church
Aiken County, South Carolina
July 21, 1994
Springfield Baptist Church
Madison, Georgia
July 21, 1994
Elam Baptist Church
Jones County, Georgia
August 1994
Benevolent Lodge #210
Clarkesville, Tennessee
Aug. 5, 1994
Greater Missionary Baptist Church
Clarkesville, Tennessee
Sept. 8, 1994
Rice Chapel
Buffalo, South Carolina
Dec. 30, 1994
Salem Missionary Baptist Church
Fruitland, Tennessee
Jan. 13, 1995
Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church
Crockett County, Tennessee
Jan. 13, 1995
Johnson Grove Baptist
Bells, Tennessee
Jan. 29, 1995
Friendship Missionary Baptist Church
Columbia, Tennessee
Jan. 29, 1995
Canaan AME
Mount Pleasant, Tennessee
Jan. 31, 1995
Mt. Calvary Baptist Church
Bolivar, Tennessee
March 9, 1995
Hammond Grove Baptist Church
N. Augusta, South Carolina
March 24, 1995
Sike Savannah Methodist Church
Ruffin, South Carolina
May 21, 1995
Summer Grove Baptist Church
Aiken, South Carolina
June 20, 1995
Mt. Zion AME Church
Greeleyville, South Carolina
June 21, 1995
Macedonia Baptist Church
Manning, South Carolina
Aug. 15, 1995
St. John’s Baptist Church
Lexington County, South Carolina
Oct. 14, 1995
Zion Chapel AME
Sun, Louisiana
Oct. 31, 1995
Mount Pisgah Baptist Church
Raeford, North Carolina
Dec. 1, 1995
Mount Hill Missionary Baptist Church
Aiken County, South Carolina
Dec. 13, 1995
Jesus Christ Holy Gospel
Laurens, South Carolina
Dec. 22, 1995
Mt. Zion Baptist Church
Boligee, Alabama
Dec. 25, 1995
Mount Moriah Baptist Church
Hillsborough, North Carolina
Dec. 30, 1995
Salem Baptist
Gibson County, Tennessee
Jan. 6, 1996
Ohovah AME Church
Orrum, North Carolina
Jan. 8, 1996
Inner City Church
Knoxville, Tennessee
Jan. 11, 1996
Little Mt. Zion Baptist
Green County, Alabama
Jan. 11, 1996
Mount Zoar Baptist
Green County, Alabama
Feb. 1, 1996
Thomas Chapel Benevolent Society
East Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Feb. 1, 1996
Cypress Grove Baptist
East Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Feb. 1, 1996
St. Paul’s Free Baptist
East Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Feb. 1, 1996
Sweet Home Baptist Church
East Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Feb. 1, 1996
Thomas Chapel Benevolent Society
East Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Feb. 21, 1996
Glorious Church of God in Christ
Richmond, Virginia
Feb. 28, 1996
New Liberty Baptist Church
Tyler, Alabama
March 1996
Gays Hill Baptist Church
Millen, Georgia
March 1996
Butler Chapel AME
Orangeburg, South Carolina
March 5, 1996
St. Paul AME Church
Hatley, Mississippi
March 20, 1996
New Mount Zion Baptist
Ruleville, Mississippi
March 21, 1996
Mt. Zion Baptist Church
Ruleville, Mississippi
March 30, 1996
El Bethel
Satartia, Mississippi
April 7, 1996
St. Paul’s Primitive Church
Lauderdale, Mississippi
April 11, 1996
St. Charles Baptist
Paincourtville, Louisiana
April 13, 1996
Rosemary Baptist Church
Barnwell, South Carolina
April 26, 1996
Effingham Baptist
Effingham, South Carolina
May 14, 1996
Mount Pleasant Baptist
Tigrett, Tennessee
May 23, 1996
Mount Tabor Baptist
Cerro Gordo, North Carolina
May 24, 1996
Pleasant Hill Baptist
Lumberton, North Carolina
June 3, 1996
Rising Star Baptist
Greensboro, Alabama
June 7, 1996
Matthews Murkland Presbyterian Church
Charlotte, North Carolina
June 9, 1996
New Light House of Prayer
Greenville, Texas
June 9, 1996
The Church of the Living God
Greenville, Texas
June 12, 1996
Evangelist Temple
Marianna, Florida
June 13, 1996
First Missionary Baptist Church
Enid, Oklahoma
June 17, 1996
Central Grove Missionary Baptist Church
Kossuth, Mississippi
June 17, 1996
Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church
Kossuth, Mississippi
June 17, 1996
Hills Chapel Baptist Church
Rocky Point, North Carolina
June 20, 1996
Immanuel Christian Fellowship
Portland, Oregon
June 24, 1996
New Birth Temple
Shreveport, Louisiana
May 17, 1996
Three African-American churches
Desha County, Arkansas
March 26, 1997
Church of Christ
Henderson, Nevada
June 30, 1997
St. Joe Baptist Church
Little River, Alabama
2000-present
Terrorism against the black church is still an issue today. Five years before the mass shooting in Charleston, a man in Crane, Texas, burned down a Faith in Christ Church to gain status with a white supremacist gang. In the wake of the shooting at Mother Emanuel, at least seven black churches have been destroyed by fire. Three of the fires are being investigated as arson.
Jan. 12, 2004
Mount Moriah Baptist Church
Roanoke, Virginia
Nov. 5, 2005
Macedonia Church of God in Christ
Springfield, Massachusetts
Dec. 28, 2010
Faith in Christ Church
Crane, Texas
June 17, 2015
Emanuel AME Church
Charleston, South Carolina
June 21, 2015
College Hill Seventh Day Adventist
Knoxville, Tennessee
June 23, 2015
God’s Power Church of Christ
Macon, Georgia
June 24, 2015
Briar Creek Road Baptist Church
Charlotte, North Carolina
Oct. 8, 2015
Bethel Non-Denominational Church
St. Louis, Missouri
Oct. 10, 2015
New Northside Baptist Church
St. Louis, Missouri
Oct. 14, 2015
St. Augustine Catholic Church
St. Louis, Missouri
Oct. 15, 2015
New Testament Church of Christ
St. Louis, Missouri
Oct. 17, 2015
New Life Missionary Baptist Church
St. Louis, Missouri
Oct. 18, 2015
Ebenezer Lutheran Church
St. Louis, Missouri
Source: Huffington Post research, news reports.
This post was updated on Oct. 21, 2015. Icons by Edward Boatman and Syafiqa Fickle via The Noun Project.
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