What happened at the Christian Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church forty years and one day before Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. moved to Chicago? It’s a story of courage and conviction, set against the backdrop of the Civil Rights Movement. This church, affectionately known as “The Ship”, has been a beacon of faith in Chicago since its founding by Reverend Clay Evans in 1950. But its history intertwines with Dr. King’s in a powerful way. In 1966, when many influential figures in Chicago shunned Dr. King, Reverend Evans bravely opened his doors. He offered the Christian Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church as the base for the Chicago office of Operation Breadbasket. This organization, the economic arm of Dr. King’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference, was instrumental in the fight for economic justice. This act of solidarity came at a price. The construction of a new sanctuary for the Christian Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church, already underway, was abruptly halted. City permits were revoked, leaving the steel skeleton of the sanctuary exposed to the elements for seven long years. Yet, the church persevered, its spirit unbroken. This act of resilience mirrors the very spirit of the Civil Rights movement itself. Today, The Ship continues to thrive, its legacy deeply intertwined with the fight for justice and equality.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to