Tulsa Church Founded After Race Massacre Receives $200,000 Preservation Grant

New Jerusalem Baptist Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, has received a $200,000 grant through the Preserving Black Churches program, run by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The church was founded in the aftermath of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, one of the worst incidents of racial violence in American history.

The grant will establish an endowment fund to help maintain the church's 70-year-old building. Church leaders say the funds address a problem many historic Black churches face: choosing between paying for building repairs and funding community programs.

The Preserving Black Churches program awards grants for capital projects, program development, and organizational planning. New Jerusalem is one of several recipients announced in 2026.

NPR reported on the grant in March 2026, noting that Black churches are among the largest holders of Black-owned land in America. Preserving those buildings means preserving community anchors that have served neighborhoods for generations.

Pastor Sean Jarrett, who has spoken publicly about the role of Black churches in land ownership, said institutions like New Jerusalem provide resources and gathering spaces that younger generations still need. He also noted that some young people are turning away from traditional church settings, partly because they associate Christianity with Christian nationalism rather than the liberation theology that shaped the Civil Rights Movement.

The National Trust's program aims to help churches like New Jerusalem stay financially stable so they can continue serving their communities without sacrificing their buildings.