LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — The National Trust’s African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund recently invested $4 million in grants to 31 historical Black churches across the United States.
Amid hundreds of applicants, two churches in Kentucky were awarded: St. Paul Methodist Episcopal Church in Augusta and Historic St. Paul AME in Lexington.
Church leaders at St. Paul AME have long worked towards preserving their storied building.
“To have been chosen out of all those applicants down to a few to receive the funding, we hold that with a sense of humility and a sense of hope that we're closer to the end than where we were when we started this venture,” said Reverend Dr. Stephanie Raglin.
According to church historians, nearly two centuries ago, the room above St. Paul AME’s sanctuary hid slaves traveling on the Underground Railroad.
By 1850, It’s estimated that 100,000 slaves escaped to freedom through this route.
Church historians believe slaves would have hidden in the attic for several days before a cart arrived for them in the street. When a bell was rung, the runaways had only a few minutes to escape.
“The hope is that this history is passed down to the next generation and beyond to continue the legacy of what it means to be free,” said Raglin.
With $140,000 from the National Trust for Historic Preservation along with two other grants, one from the Linda and Jerry Bruckheimer Preservation Fund for Kentucky and another from the African American Heritage grant through Kentucky, St. Paul AME has about $150,000 to use for restoration efforts.
“It's pretty exciting to see the fruits of your planning labor come to fruition,” said Dave Kieser, an engineer working with the church.
Kieser said they’d begin with tuck-pointing the brick and repairing the foundation.
With the momentum, the church can finally begin the restoration efforts they’ve worked towards for years.
“God has a plan for his people at historical St. Paul,” said Raglin.
