Gather Place Receives National Historic Preservation Grant

YARDLEY, PA —With Black History Month soon approaching, the Gather Place has received a grant to help secure its place among the nation's Black churches.

Shirley Lee Corsey, executive director of the South Canal Street museum, said that Gather Place has received a $75,000 grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Chosen from a pool of 550 national proposals, Gather Place is among the elite 31 historic Black churches across the nation selected to receive a total investment of $4 million this year, Corsey said.

Situated in the heart of Yardley Borough's historic district, the museum is headquartered at
the historic African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church is honored to be a recipient of
this prestigious financial award, Corsey said.

"The essence of a community lies within its history, and this grant will enable us to 'tell the whole story.' Our mission to safeguard a crucial chapter of Yardley’s past is fueled by the people, their stories, struggles, and triumphs," Corsey said. "These stories deserve recognition and preservation, serving as a source of inspiration and a reminder of our roots."

The Gather Place celebrated its one-year anniversary over the summer.

"Your efforts to preserve the rich history of your Black church contribute significantly to telling the full American story, and it's truly inspiring," said Brent Leggs, executive director of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund.

The grant serves as a beacon of support for the Preserving Yardley's African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church Legacy: Generational Voices Project.

Spearheaded by Corsey, the initiative addresses the gentrification impact on Yardley Borough's African American heritage since the 1970s.

“'We bring history to life' by capturing the invaluable memories of the last surviving members and other Yardley Borough residents born in the early 1900s through professionally conducted video interviews. This documentation ensures that their stories are not only cherished now but also archived for the inspiration of future generations," the Gather Place said.

Since 2017, the Action Fund has raised more than $91 million in philanthropic funding, making it the largest U.S. resource dedicated to the preservation of African American historic places.

"We created the Preserving Black Churches program to ensure the historic Black church’s legacy is told and secured, fostering community resilience and driving meaningful change in our society," Leggs said.

"Black churches have been at the forefront of meaningful democratic reform since this nation’s founding," said Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., historian, and advisor to the Action Fund. "They’re a living testament to the resilience of our ancestors in the face of unimaginably daunting challenges."

(Photo Courtesy of Shirley Lee Corsey)