Pastor Jamal Bryant Launches Black Ground Initiative With Six-Pillar Economic Plan

New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in DeKalb County, Georgia, launched the Black Ground initiative during Juneteenth weekend, pairing the announcement with the groundbreaking of a 304-unit housing development on church-owned land.

Senior Pastor Dr. Jamal Harrison Bryant said the initiative is designed to move beyond symbolic advocacy and build lasting economic infrastructure for Black families. The program is organized around six pillars: Home Ground, Common Ground, Higher Ground, Economic Ground, Firm Ground, and Holy Ground.

Home Ground centers on New Birth Village, a housing development on 33.1 acres of debt-free church property. The project targets middle-class families, first-time homebuyers, teachers, nurses, seniors, and young professionals who have been priced out of the Atlanta metropolitan market. More than 3,000 potential buyers joined a waiting list before construction began. The development is being built by an all-Black team of developers, planners, and contractors.

Common Ground operates through "The King's Table" food security program, which distributes food to community members twice a week. Higher Ground focuses on education, civic engagement, and voter protection. Economic Ground aims to help launch one million new Black-owned businesses by 2030. Firm Ground provides financial literacy, credit-building, and wealth-management training. Holy Ground serves as the spiritual center of the entire effort.

Bryant chose Juneteenth as the launch date to connect the history of emancipation with the present need for economic self-determination. The church said it plans to share the model with other congregations across the country.