This weekend, I went back to Louisiana to an elderly cousin’s funeral. Held in a tiny church in Haughton, Louisiana, it was standing room only to honor this amazing human that we loved so dearly. As I read the obituary, I became intrigued by what I was learning about my family’s past. History is important. It defines who we are and without it, it allows others to create or erase these narratives.
Across the country, our history is being challenged and erased. One example is White Rock Chapel. Founded by freed slaves more than 100 years ago, the Texas Historical Commission in 2000 designated 5555 Celestial Road in Addison, a Texas State Historical Marker.
In 1884, families of the White Rock Chapel CME Church purchased an acre on the shady banks of the creek and built their first building of rough-hewn logs. Unfortunately, the location was subject to devastating flash flooding and in 1918, Sidney Smith Noell, who owned more than 1,200 acres in the area, donated two acres to the congregation, so they could move to higher ground away from the creek. Years later, after a storm and a suspected arson, a new church building was dedicated in 1981. The parsonage was replaced by the current fellowship hall in 2009.
The church was bought with the goal to preserve this remarkable history and ministry by Dr. Donald Wesson and his wife, Wanda. The city of Addison, Texas (which does not have a church in the entire city!!!) is using zoning regulations to block them from usage for fear of the population who may come into the neighborhood. Currently surrounded by an upscale neighborhood, they are not permitted to utilize this building or even enter the facility!
Two years ago, they applied for building permits so they could make improvements to its historic property and gather for worship and Bible study, as well as to serve the surrounding community. But the city refused to grant the permits unless zoning approval was obtained. After extensive negotiations with uncooperative neighbors, the church applied for a Special Use Permit, which was unanimously approved by the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission. However, in July the City Council voted 5-2 to deny the permit.
This problem of preserving our history is expansive. The New York Times reports: “A staggering number of America’s Black burial grounds have been erased from history — some the result of neglect by local governments, others through sale to developers. Grave sites on private land within the boundaries of old plantations have been deliberately hidden and forgotten. Many of those clinging to existence face the constant threat of destruction in the absence of funding to maintain them and state or federal laws to shield them from the encroachment of highways, office parks and parking lots.”
I am thankful for individuals such as Dr. and Mrs. Wesson, Lisa Fager of the Black Georgetown Foundation, Margott Williams in Houston and Yamona Pierce in Georgia for their commitment to preserving our history today. As I think of their efforts and many others, I am reminded of Nehemiah’s desire to rebuild the wall in the Bible. We, too, must be committed to rebuilding those important monuments and institutions that are a part of our history, of our legacy.
Despite all of the legal red tape, delays and denials, we cannot allow those distractions to stop this important work. The Book of Nehemiah proves that there will be challenges in trying to restore and rebuild even by those who are in our community and yet, that cannot stop us either.
“Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes. When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to our own work. From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor,” Nehemiah 4:14-17.
Some of us will have to do the difficult work of restoring and repairing. The rest of us must be willing to fight and support them.
