Reviving History: Rebuilding the Foundation of America's Black Ancestry

A ceremonial ground-breaking is set to take place this Thursday for the rebuilding of one of America's historic Black churches. The First Baptist Church of Williamsburg, dating back to 1776, is undergoing reconstruction to highlight the integral role of Black history within American history. Under unjust laws, free and enslaved congregants built the original structure using recycled bricks in the early 1800s.

The current 215-member congregation's leader, Pastor Reginald F. Davis, emphasizes the significance of physical structures in narrating historical tales. Following a tornado in 1834 that demolished the original church, a new structure was erected in 1856. However, in 1956, Colonial Williamsburg repurposed the land into a parking lot, though they funded the current church.

Colonial Williamsburg has recently redoubled its commitment to honoring Black history. Archaeologists unearthed the original church foundation in 2021, sparking plans for the new project that reflects this forgotten legacy. The museum also discovered 62 graves, connecting ancestors to the present congregation and reflecting past living conditions of Black Americans.

(With inputs from agencies.)