Vacant Historic Black Church In Virginia To Become Community Learning Center

First Baptist Church of Rocky Mount, Virginia, has supported its Black community and members through more than worship.

A vacant yet historic Black Church in Rocky Mount, Virginia, will transform into a gathering space and learning center for its community.

Built by Black Virginians in 1899, First Baptist Church of Rocky Mount has held multiple uses since its establishment. Despite stopping its sermons in 1965, it continued to support its Black residents as a hub voter registration and community action.

Currently, despite a stint as a beauty salon, it maintains its vacancy. However, the community will restore the church as a cultural heritage center.

“The story of the First Baptist Church of Rocky Mount, VA is deeply intertwined with our original church structure,” wrote the church on its restoration fundraising page. “Designed by architect Leonard Pinkard and built in 1899 by former slaves individuals and their descendants, this historic building has served as a beacon of faith, hope, and community for over 125 years.”

As for its modern iteration, the church’s leaders want the place to educate its community.

“The goal is to turn it into a place where people can gather and learn,” said Pastor Christopher Coates to WDBJ7.

As for what history it will detail, Coates shared their plans to install exhibits on the Black U.S. Soldiers from Franklin County.

“There will be a poster for each soldier to tell where he was from, what his rank was, his years of service, and any other pertinent details that the research team can put behind it,” Coates said.

However, their plans also extend to servicing attendees as it has for generations. It renovations include a complete reset of the second-floor and installation of modern upgrades that abide by ADA-compliances. They will host job training and tutoring to benefit those of all ages.

“We’re going to add some showers to help take the stress off the local warming center during the wintertime. We also want to make sure that this place is a place where people can receive job training, maybe academic tutoring, just a community hub. So, whatever there is a need, maybe the building can fill the need,” added Coates.

They hope to bring back the church’s original glory through its design, while still championing its mission to benefit Black people beyond the pulpit.