2024 COHORT
Tabernacle Baptist Church
(Southern Baptist)
Augusta, Georgia
For over a century, Tabernacle Baptist Church has played a vital role in the religious and civic life of Augusta’s Black community.
Tabernacle Baptist Church Photo by Autumn Smith
Tabernacle Baptist Church Photo by Autumn Smith
2024 Cohort
Tabernacle Baptist Church
(Southern Baptist)
Augusta, Georgia
For over a century, Tabernacle Baptist Church has played a vital role in the religious and civic life of Augusta’s Black community.
Founded in 1885 by Rev. Charles T. Walker, the historic church building is a reminder of the Laney Walker neighborhood’s ‘Golden Blocks,’ where Black-owned businesses prospered during enforced segregation and built community in the face of hardship. Tabernacle Baptist Church’s present building was completed in 1914 and was designed by Augusta-based architect Lewis F. Goodrich. Under the leadership of founding pastor Rev. Walker, the church became nationally known, and Walker would go on to establish the Walker Baptist Institute and serve as a treasurer for the National Baptist Convention. During his tenure, Walker attracted the likes of Booker T. Washington, John D. Rockefeller, and President William Howard Taft – all of whom visited the church.
Today, the Tabernacle Baptist Church collaborates with organizations such as Historic Augusta and the Lucy Craft Laney Museum of African American History to tell its story. It works with the Richmond County Board of Education, Augusta Rescue Ministry, and CRSA Mental Health Partners to meet the material, educational, and health needs of its community members.
A National Fund grant of $250,000 plus $500,000 in matching funds raised by the congregation will support urgent repair needs including the masonry, cupolas, and roof.
Tabernacle Baptist Church Photo by Autumn Smith
Spotlighting Women’s History at Historic Houses of Worship
Religious institutions have served both as a platform for the advancement of women’s rights and opportunities, and women have played critical roles in advancing religious traditions. The leadership and community building opportunities within these sacred sites have been critical to increasing female independence outside of the home and allowing women to develop institutions that strengthen their congregations and broader communities. The four historic houses of worship highlighted embody positive examples of how the histories of women and religion are inherently linked.
First Church in Oberlin
Stories and Media Coverage
Read more about how the National Fund for Sacred Places is helping congregations around the country rehabilitate their sacred places.
Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church by Luis P. Gutierrez