wfn.org | NCC USA Establishes Burned Churches Fund

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To: wfn-editors@wfn.org

National Council of the Churches of Christ
Communication Commission
Contact: Carol J. Fouke, NCC, 212-870-2252

NCC6/19/96                                                         
                           FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 BURNED CHURCHES FUND TO HELP REBUILD CHURCHES, ADDRESS RACISM

     NEW YORK, June 19 ---- The National Council of Churches (NCC)
has established the Burned Churches Fund to support rebuilding
along with work to stop the racially motivated arson primarily of
African American churches.  The fund also will support interfaith
efforts to address the racism underlying the burnings. 
Contributions may be sent to the Burned Churches Fund, 475
Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10115.  For credit card gifts, phone
1-800-762-0968.

     Establishment of the fund marks another major step in the
NCC's work to address the escalating epidemic of burnings of Black
and multiracial churches, primarily but not exclusively in the
South.  An NCC-led team, including the Atlanta-based Center for
Democratic Renewal and the New York-based Center for
Constitutional Rights, was formed in January 1996, and in March
made its first of some 30 site visits (to date) of burned churches
across the South.  Site visits continue, with team members
planning to go next week to burned churches in Texas.

     That coalition brought 24 pastors from burned churches and 13
others (including persons representing burned historic Black
lodges and others working with burned churches) to Washington,
D.C., June 9-10 to meet with President Clinton, Attorney General
Janet Reno, Treasury Department Secretary Robert Rubin, members of
Congress and others.

     There, the pastors shared evidence that the attacks on their
churches were racially motivated and, in many cases, carried out
by white supremacists.  They expressed their concern about the
many law enforcement investigations that have targetted burned
churches' pastors and members for interrogation rather than
focusing on white supremacist movements active across the South,
and asked government take more responsibility for protecting Black
churches and their pastors (many of whom have received hate mail
and threatening phone calls).  They also called on government to
work with them to address the climate of racism in the United
States that spawns such racist acts.

     The NCC-led team also participated June 12 in ceremonies at
the Mount Zion A.M.E. Church in Greeleyville, S.C., featuring
President Clinton.  The Rev. Terrance Mackey, that congregation's
pastor, was among pastors who participated in the NCC-called
meetings in Washington, D.C.  In Greeleyville, the Rev. Dr. Joan
B. Campbell, NCC General Secretary, presented a check from the
NCC/CWS for $20,000 to Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church to use toward paying
off the $100,000 loan it took out to rebuild the church.

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