Saving Louisiana’s Oldest African-American Church | Baton Rouge News

A historic 209-year-old African-American church in Louisiana, the First African Baptist Church — the state’s first incorporated Black church — is on the brink of salvation. After years of grassroots efforts, Wilson Engineers has stepped in with free structural engineering services, joining volunteers and preservation groups who’ve already cleaned, painted, and restored parts of the building. Founded by 32 freed slaves and white allies, the church has weathered foreclosure attempts and now faces a critical next step: determining restoration costs and securing funding. With city officials, the Preservation Resource Center, and community support rallying behind it, this landmark — recently named one of Louisiana’s most endangered sites — may soon reopen as a beacon of resilience and heritage. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/3d67f3413486f76f