Ever since the shooting of nine innocent and faithful members of Emmanuel AME Church by a racist killer, the country has been on edge. Confederate flags and hate have arisen to remind Black America of the racist history of the country. To show that nothing is sacred in this spiritual battle, a series of fires have been set at various Black churches.
Recent fires have already caused damage to predominantly Black churches in Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and Florida.
1) Last Monday, someone set fire to College Hills Seventh Day Adventist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. Whoever set the fire placed bales of hay outside the doors of the church and set them alight along with the church van.
2) Last Tuesday, God’s Power Church of Christ in Macon, Georgia was burglarized, and set on fire.
3) On Wednesday, Briar Creek Baptist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, burned in the middle of the night, causing $250,000 in damage. It took 75 firefighters to bring it under control.
4) Friday morning in Tallahassee, Florida, at predominantly Black Greater Miracle Apostolic Holiness Church caused $700,000 in damage.
5) Also on Friday, Glover Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Warrenville, South Carolina, was partially destroyed in an overnight blaze
The church has served an important role in the community since slavery and throughout the history of Blacks in this country. Because of its role in community building, social and political issues, the church has been a favorite target of racists. No one has declared responsibility for the blazes and there is a continuing investigation as to whether these fires are hate crimes.
