St. Mark AME Zion Church Receives $150,000 Grant for Preservation Planning
St. Mark African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church in East Chicago, Indiana, has received a $150,000 grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. This funding will support the development of a preservation and restoration plan for the modernist church, designed…
Chicago, IL, August 4, 2026 —
East Chicago, Indiana – St. Mark African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church has been awarded a significant $150,000 grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The funding is designated to facilitate the creation of a comprehensive preservation and restoration plan for the historic modernist structure.
The church building, a notable example of modernist architecture, was designed by Wendell Campbell, a pioneering Black architect based in Chicago. This grant is part of a broader initiative by the National Trust for Historic Preservation aimed at conserving and highlighting the architectural contributions of Black architects.
The preservation plan will focus on identifying necessary restoration work and outlining strategies to maintain the integrity of the church’s unique modernist design. The grant will cover the costs associated with architectural assessments, historical research, and the development of a detailed roadmap for future restoration efforts.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation’s commitment to this project underscores the importance of preserving historically significant buildings and recognizing the often-overlooked work of architects like Wendell Campbell. Further details regarding the timeline for the development of the preservation plan were not immediately available.
Story summarized from the original created by Lee Bey on chicago.suntimes.com, see more information here.
